Obesity Declared a Disease




After much impassioned debate, physicians at the American Medical Association 2013 Annual Meeting in June voted overwhelmingly to label obesity a disease that requires a range of interventions to advance treatment and prevention.[6] The decision could have implications for provider reimbursement, public policy, patient stigma, and International Classification of Diseases coding. Physicians disagree on whether the ruling will change everyday practices and whether obesity fits the typical disease parameters, but all agree the decision has spotlighted the need for resources for a public health crisis that affects a third of the United States and costs the healthcare system $190 billion annually.[7]