Germany urges multimodal obesity treatment amid low public awareness

Dr. Gert Bischoff, chief physician at the Barmherzige Brüder hospital in Munich and head of the Center for Nutrition Medicine and Prevention, says lasting weight loss requires a multimodal approach and condemns online services that market weight‑loss injections. He recommends therapy for patients with a BMI of 30 or higher and points to the official nutriZert platform, which now lists 140 certified nutrition centres.

A study by the University of Heidelberg’s public‑health department found many German adults with overweight or obesity are unaware of professional support options. German guidelines advise a structured, multimodal program combining diet, exercise and behavioral changes, with medication or bariatric surgery as additional options for severe cases.