Obesity
People with obesity are living with a disease—not a choice—and it comes with physical, mental and emotional hurdles. It’s time to shift perceptions, eliminate stigma, and imagine a better future for people around the world navigating this disease.
More than 650 million people around the world face the difficult challenges of living with obesity every day.
For many, there are physical hurdles: limited mobility, trouble getting in and out of chairs or walking up a flight of stairs – or maybe even walking at all. Others grapple with social stigma that adds emotional weight to the physical: feeling uncomfortable in their own skin, ashamed, or judged by others who think they just lack self-control.
And there are health challenges, including the very real risks of developing life-threatening diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, cancer, even depression and anxiety. Obesity is also the number one risk factor for diabetes and other metabolic diseases, and is associated with nearly 1 in 5 adult deaths in the U.S.
Culturally, obesity is still seen as a lifestyle condition, a failure of will that people should be able to manage themselves. Scientifically, however, a growing body of evidence shows that it’s a complicated disease that involves far more than personal choices.
We believe that obesity requires comprehensive care, just like any other complex disease – including the use of medication.
That’s why we’re actively researching and developing new, innovative therapies to treat obesity and disrupt disease progression. By targeting the underlying causes of the disease, we believe we can help in the treatment of obesity, improving the health of millions of people around the world who struggle with the disease every day.
There are also health challenges. There is evidence to show that over 200 chronic diseases and complications are impacted by obesity, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers — which also rank among the top causes of mortality in the U.S.1-6
Culturally, obesity is still seen as a lifestyle choice — a failure of will that people should be able to manage themselves. But scientifically, a growing body of evidence shows that it’s a chronic, complex and progressive disease that involves far more than personal choices.7-8
For most people with obesity, lifestyle interventions alone often fail over time.9-10 We believe that just like any other disease, obesity and managing excess weight requires comprehensive care — including medication when appropriate.
Michele’s Journey Overcoming Challenges to Advocate for Her Own Health
Understanding the Impact of Social Bias on Healthcare Inequities
Advancing Science, Shifting Perspectives
Our approach is simple: invest in research to develop potential new options for those living with this disease. Scientific breakthroughs, though, must also come with understanding barriers to advancing comprehensive obesity care.
In partnership with Cerner Enviza, we’re conducting the first U.S. nationwide study focused on understanding antiobesity medicine use. The study, called OBSERVE, digs deeper into the misconceptions that influence obesity treatment. We’re hopeful that once complete, the study will be a resource to help inform action and shift perspectives.
We also support the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), legislation that would improve access to intensive behavioral therapy and include FDA-approved anti-obesity medicines in the Medicare Part D drug benefit.
