The important role of comorbidities in the management of obesity.

Overview

Obesity is a chronic, multifactorial disease associated with more than 200 complications including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, dyslipidemia, hypertension, premature mortality, and numerous other adverse effects spanning multiple organ systems. In addition to these health complications, obesity also contributes to weight stigma and bias, which negatively affect access to care, treatment outcomes, and quality of life. Together, these complications and social consequences drive high morbidity, premature mortality, and increasing healthcare costs. Early diagnosis of obesity and systematic screening for related conditions are essential to improving health outcomes. Clinicians must treat obesity in addition to managing its complications, offering individualized strategies that may include lifestyle modification, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. Because obesity is a chronic and relapsing disease, effective management requires long-term follow-up and coordinated care through a multidisciplinary team. The effective treatment of obesity and its comorbidities can improve individual health outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and reduce the global burden of chronic disease.