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  • Editorial
Severe Obesity is Not One Disease—Dissecting Different Treatment Options to Improve Outcomes with Emphasis on Medical and Surgical Approaches
  • Lucia La Sala 1, 2,   
  • Marta Tagliabue 1,   
  • Abdelrahman Nimeri 3,   
  • Antonio E. Pontiroli 4, *

Published: 11 Jun 2025

Abstract

With the pandemic of obesity, the frequency of severe obesity (SO) has expanded in an exponential way [1]. SO, by definition, is characterized by a body mass index (BMI) above 35 kg/m2, even though several modern obesity physicians suggest that any kind of obesity deserves aggressive treatment, be it medical or surgical. SO is a serious disease, and its burden is made heavier by the complications of obesity, metabolic, social, cardiovascular, psychological, and by reduction in life expectancy [2,3]. The story of medical treatment of obesity starts in the late years of the 19th century, and only in recent years has it become safe and effective [3,4]. The story of surgical treatment is much shorter, beginning in the second half of the last century, and changes have substantially been centered on rendering surgery more effective, safer, and simpler to do [5]. The problem remains that SO has been considered one disease be it for surgeons or for physicians, while several lines of evidence have come to show that there are several kinds of obesity and probably, they require different treatments or approaches. In other words, we still must better understand what SO is to reach better results.

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Sala, L. L.; Tagliabue, M.; Nimeri, A.; Pontiroli, A. E. Severe Obesity is Not One Disease—Dissecting Different Treatment Options to Improve Outcomes with Emphasis on Medical and Surgical Approaches. Nutrition and Treatment of Obesity 2025, 1 (1), 1.
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