Via practica 4/2025
Key insights for comprehensive obesity management in 2024/2025
Worldwide, obesity is one of the most widespread chronic diseases in the adult, child and adolescent population. It is currently one of the most significant public health problems not only due to its increasing prevalence, but especially due to its association with a wide range of other chronic and life-threatening diseases. In Slovakia, the prevalence of overweight is around 63 %, and the prevalence of obesity is around 29 %. In June 2024, the European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) published and introduced a framework to align the diagnosis, assessment of severity and treatment of obesity with the standards of other chronic diseases. The goals of treatment of chronic disease – (pre)obesity – should be holistic, they should go “beyond” weight loss in kilograms, which brings with it long-term benefits for health, mental well-being, physical functioning and improved quality of life. Holistic goals can be achieved by changing lifestyle (behavioral, nutritional and exercise interventions). The assessment of the severity of the disease influences individual treatment (personalized medicine) and currently we have the opportunity to use a combination of lifestyle changes with pharmacotherapy, or even bariatric surgical procedures. Recently, we have received a lot of new information, results from interesting clinical studies related to pharmacological management based on incretins. In the near future we will also see other news aimed at chronic management of obesity.
Keywords: obesity pharmacotherapy, semaglutide, tirzepatide, efficacy, safety, news in obesity management, news in obesity pharmacotherapy
