Challenges in Obesity - New Treatments for Overweight

In 2013, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially declared obesity a disease. The decision was controversial and generated debate, as some people see obesity as a health problem, but not necessarily a disease. Obesity is not just an aesthetic problem; it is a complex disease that consists of having an excessive amount of body fat. The reason the AMA classifies obesity as a disease is to raise awareness of its harmful health effects and encourage a more serious approach to prevention and treatment.  

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Table of Contents

Diseases associated with obesity
How is obesity diagnosed?
Common treatments for obesity
Semaglutide as a treatment for overweight
Future scenarios in the treatment of overweight

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Diseases associated with obesity

Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and other metabolic disorders are frequently associated with obesity; Consequently, it is argued that treating it as a disease can led to earlier medical attention and greater investment in treatment and prevention. There are many reasons why some people have difficulty losing weight. Obesity is generally the result of hereditary, physiological, and environmental factors combined with diet, physical activity, and exercise choices. 

How is obesity diagnosed?

Although there are genetic, behavioral, metabolic, and hormonal influences on body weight, obesity occurs when you eat more calories than you burn with normal daily activities and exercise. The body stores those excess calories as fat. 

To diagnose a person's obesity, the body mass index (BMI) is used, which allows estimating whether a person has a healthy weight in relation to their height and which is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters: BMI = Weight (kg) / (Height (m) * Height (m). The result of the BMI is a number that indicates the category in which a person is based on their weight and height. Typical BMI categories are as follows: 

BMI below 18.5: Underweight. 

BMI of 18.5 to 24.9: Healthy weight. 

BMI from 25 to 29.9: Overweight. 

BMI of 30 or more: Obesity. Morbid obesity:

BMI equal to or greater than 40. 

Excess weight remains one of the most pressing health problems worldwide. In fact, a study carried out by the World Obesity Federation (WOA) projects that by 2035, more than half of the planet's population, 51% or more than 4 billion people, will be overweight and nearly a quarter obese.  

Common treatments for obesity

The most common treatments for overweight and obesity include, but are not limited to: a healthy diet, more physical activity, lifestyle changes, nutritional therapy, medications, bariatric surgery, and weight control programs. 

It is convenient, responsible, and essential, before starting any treatment program for obesity or diseases associated with it, to consult with a health professional. 

In June 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States approved Wegovy Injection (semaglutide 2.4 mg once a week) for people with at least one weight-related illness, such as blood pressure. high, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol, used in conjunction with a low-calorie diet and increased physical activity. The subcutaneous injection is the first drug approved since 2014 for long-term weight control in obese or overweight adults in general. This medicine is indicated for long-term body weight control in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 kg/m2 or more, who have at least one weight-related disease, or have a BMI of 30 kg /m2. m2 or more. 

Semaglutide as a treatment for overweight

The semiglutide is the medication available by prescription, both as an injection and in pills, which is revolutionizing weight loss treatments and is also recommended to treat type 2 diabetes. 

Ozempic, a brand of medication whose active ingredient is semaglutide, is used by subcutaneous injection to lose weight and treat type 2 diabetes, since together with a healthy diet and an active routine, it can improve blood sugar levels. 

The main problem of having access to pharmacological treatments for weight loss due to obesity or diseases associated with it, such as type 2 diabetes, is conditioned by the high costs of these medications; Consequently, their acquisition will depend on the economic capacity of the patients, coverage by medical insurance or, depending on the country, government or private social programs that subsidize their cost. 

Future scenarios in the treatment of overweight

The future scenarios, both in the short and long term, regarding the decrease in obesity, do not seem to be at all flattering due to its sustained growth in the last 15 years; Consequently, in order to improve this panorama, it is necessary to seriously consider the reinforcement of the prevention plans for this disease formulated by the World Health Organization (WHO), specifically those measures such as: applying fiscal policies, such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and high-calorie, low-nutrition products, regulating food advertising and labeling, improving school feeding and physical activity environments, and promoting breastfeeding and healthy nutrition; promote public policies worldwide, in order to guarantee greater affordability of high-cost medications to treat this disease for different social strata and finally, treat this disease as what it is, a pandemic and for that we have the latest experience in the management of Covid-19.