Obesity as disease or not?
Obesity was classified as a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013, but in the United Kingdom, experts are still grappling with whether they should follow suit. In this slideshow, we highlight positions on the issue.
Obesity was classified as a disease by the American Medical Association in 2013, but in the United Kingdom, experts are still grappling with whether they should follow suit. Writing in the July 17 issue of The BMJ, three experts from the United Kingdom weigh in on the argument. A disease designation, two doctors wrote, would encourage people to seek treatment, but one expert said that medication may reduce the motivation to lose weight.Some experts argue that obesity is a risk factor, not a disease, which is true in some cases. Some patients with high body mass index do not go on to develop complications that can devastate other patients.In this slideshow, we highlight their positions on the issue.Source:Â Should obesity be recognized as a disease? BMJ 2019; 366 https://www.bmj.com/content/366/bmj.l4258(Published 17 July 2019)
