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We are the leading scientific membership organization advancing the science-based understanding of the causes, consequences, prevention and treatment of obesity in order to improve the lives of those affected.
Foundations of Obesity Care
Physiology of the Weight Reduced State: From Mechanisms to Clinical Application
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Consensus Statement on Obesity
In 2022, the leading US organizations with a primary focus on obesity came together with the intention of addressing the various roadblocks they faced in efforts to improve access to obesity treatment and reduce the stigma and bias surrounding this disease. The organizations were: The Obesity Society, the Obesity Action Coalition, the Obesity Medicine Association, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, the Stop Obesity Alliance, and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. As part of our discussion, we agreed that it would be beneficial to come to a consensus on the definition of obesity. Our discussions led us to develop the consensus statement below, which serves as a shared starting point for discussing obesity, aligning with our approach to other chronic diseases. As the core organizations addressing obesity, we have worked together to write this statement and have agreed to use it as the central tenet in our communications regarding obesity.
Consensus Statement
Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation or distribution that presents a health risk and requires lifelong care. Virtually every system in the body is affected by obesity. Major chronic diseases associated with obesity include diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by height in meters) is used to screen for obesity, but it does not supersede clinical judgment. BMI is not a measure of body fat. Social determinants, race, ethnicity, and age may modify the risk associated with a given BMI.
Bias and stigmatization directed at people with obesity contribute to poor health and impair treatment.
Every person with obesity should have access to evidence-based treatment.
International Obesity Collaborative
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Country’s Leading Obesity Care Organizations Develop Consensus Statement on Obesity
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