Obesity

Obesity is a chronic complex disease defined by excessive adiposity that can impair health. It is in most cases a multifactorial disease due to obesogenic environments, psycho-social factors and genetic variants. In a subgroup of patients, single major etiological factors can be identified (medications, diseases, immobilization, iatrogenic procedures, monogenic disease/genetic syndrome). Body mass index (BMI) is a surrogate marker of adiposity calculated as weight (kg)/height² (m²). The BMI categories for defining obesity vary by age and gender in infants, children and adolescents. For adults, obesity is defined by a BMI greater than or equal to 30.00 kg/m² and there are three levels of severity in recognition of different management options.

30 recommendations

Last updated: February 27, 2026

Diet

Mediterranean diet

Mediterranean diet adherence consistently linked to reduced obesity prevalence across populations

Suggested

2 studies

Actions

Physical activity

Regular physical activity strongly reduces obesity risk and its cardiovascular consequences

Suggested

4 studies

Weight loss

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight reduces mortality and cardiovascular risk significantly

Suggested

4 studies

Weight management

Maintaining healthy body weight substantially reduces mortality and chronic disease burden

Suggested

4 studies

Smoking cessation

Quitting smoking reduces obesity-related disease risks and supports weight management

Suggested

2 studies

Weight management to BMI 22-24

Maintaining BMI 22-24 minimizes mortality risk and supports metabolic health in obesity

Suggested

2 studies

Red Flags

Unexplained weight loss

Unintentional weight loss over 5 kg signals increased mortality risk requiring medical evaluation

See Doctor Soon

2 studies