antiobesity

Antiobesity is a field of public health and medicine focused on preventing obesity and reducing excess body fat to improve health outcomes. It encompasses research, clinical practice, and public policy aimed at lowering the prevalence of overweight and obesity and mitigating associated comorbidities such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers. Antiobesity approaches include prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation for people with obesity.

Prevention emphasizes energy balance and healthy lifestyles: promoting nutritious diets, increasing physical activity, reducing sedentary behavior, and supporting behavior change through counseling. Population-level strategies include school-based programs, community design that supports active transport, clear food labeling, regulation of marketing to children, taxation of sugar-sweetened beverages, and improving access to affordable healthy foods.

Clinical treatment for obesity includes lifestyle modification as the foundation, often combined with pharmacotherapy or surgery for eligible individuals. Medications that suppress appetite, alter absorption, or modify metabolism have been approved in many countries, such as orlistat, naltrexone/bupropion, liraglutide, and newer agents like semaglutide and tirzepatide, under medical supervision. Bariatric surgery, including sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass, is an option for some patients with severe obesity or obesity with related health problems and has evidence for meaningful weight loss and health benefits. Treatments are selected based on obesity severity, comorbidities, and patient preferences, and require monitoring for adverse effects.

Public health and research focus on reducing obesity prevalence while addressing disparities and social determinants of health. Surveillance, standardized guidelines, and equity considerations guide interventions. Ongoing research explores genetics, gut microbiota, behavioral science, and novel therapies, with attention to safety, long-term outcomes, and access to care.