Obesity redefined as complex metabolic disease by health experts

Medical experts and health organizations are emphasizing a shift in how obesity is treated, moving away from a focus on simple weight loss toward addressing it as a complex, chronic, and multisystemic metabolic disease.

During the 48th Congress of the Spanish Society of Family Physicians (Semergen), specialists argued that treatment should aim for body recomposition, metabolic regression, and functional recovery. In Spain, 53% of the population lives with overweight or obesity, affecting more than 24 million people. Experts noted that because the pathophysiology is multisystemic, pharmacological approaches must be multi-target.

In Costa Rica, a new awareness campaign titled ‘Hablar te quita un peso de encima’ has been launched to reduce the stigma associated with the condition. The initiative aims to encourage individuals to seek professional medical guidance rather than viewing the issue solely as a matter of willpower. Data indicates that 70.7% of adults in Costa Rica live with overweight or obesity. Globally, the prevalence of obesity has tripled since 1975, with projections suggesting over half the world's population may be overweight or obese by 2035.