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Cited by 207Pharmacology and Obesity TreatmentBariatric Surgery and OutcomesObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

A review of current guidelines for the treatment of obesity

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Marc‐André Cornier·2022·The American Journal of Managed Care
DOI 10.37765/ajmc.2022.89292
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Abstract

Two guidelines-one by the American College of Cardiology (ACC)/American Heart Association (AHA)/The Obesity Society (TOS), and the other by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE)/American College of Endocrinology (ACE)-remain the standard of care in the management of overweight and obesity in adults. However, since the publication of the ACC/AHA/TOS document, several relevant pharmacotherapies have been approved by the FDA, a medication was withdrawn from the market, and several procedures and device types for weight loss have been recommended or FDA-approved. Simultaneously, research in obesity treatment has advanced, and leaders in the field have issued complementary guidance. This article summarizes and synthesizes the 2013 ACC/AHA/TOS and the 2016 AACE/ACE guidelines and includes updates from more recent professional association guidance. Measurement of body mass index is recommended to initiate evaluation for overweight and obesity and determine disease classification. To stage disease severity, weight-related conditions should be assessed. Although lifestyle therapy remains the cornerstone of treatment for this disease, both pharmacotherapy and metabolic and bariatric surgery produce greater and more sustained weight loss in treatment-approved populations as compared with lifestyle modifications alone. An ongoing partnership between the patient and clinician is highly recommended to manage this serious, progressive, chronic disease.

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  • Long-term sustained weight loss of 10-15% can induce T2DM remission and provide numerous other health benefits.

    “long-term sustained weight loss of 10–15% can even induce T2DM remission and provide numerous other health benefits [3,4].”

    From New Developments in Pharmacological Treatment of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes—Beyond and within GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (2024) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Introduction (page not provided) says that 15% weight loss meets recommended targets for weight-related complications, and Managed Care Considerations (page not provided) describes health benefits associated with sustained weight loss. However, our copy does not say that sustained 10–15% weight loss can induce T2DM remission; searches for diabetes remission found no such passage. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • A weight loss of at least 5% can delay the onset of T2DM and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

    “A weight loss of at least 5% can delay the onset of T2DM and reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases”

    From New Developments in Pharmacological Treatment of Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes—Beyond and within GLP-1 Receptor Agonists (2024) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Diagnosis and Treatment section says weight loss can reduce progression of T2D and risk of CVD and stroke. The R E P O R T section recommends at least 5% weight loss to limit weight-related complications, but does not establish that 5% specifically delays T2D onset or reduces the occurrence of cardiovascular disease. No page numbers are available for these passages. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone for treating obesity.

    “Lifestyle modification remains the cornerstone for treating obesity.”

    From The expanding role of GLP-1 receptor agonists: a narrative review of current evidence and future directions (2025) · cites this paper as [8]

  • Structured lifestyle intervention programs are recommended as first-line treatment for individuals with overweight or obesity.

    “These programs typically include a calorie-restricted diet, increased physical activity, and behavioral therapy, which together are recommended as the first-line treatment for individuals with overweight or obesity.”

    From The expanding role of GLP-1 receptor agonists: a narrative review of current evidence and future directions (2025) · cites this paper as [8]

  • A sustained 5% reduction in body weight can reduce the onset and severity of type 2 diabetes and cardio-renal diseases, while long-term weight reductions of 10-15% can often facilitate remission of type 2 diabetes and deliver additional health benefits.

    “a sustained 5% reduction in body weight can reduce the onset and severity of T2DM and cardio-renal diseases, while long-term weight reductions of 10-15% can often facilitate remission of T2DM and deliver a spectrum of additional health benefits [4,5].”

    From Recent advances in peptide-based therapies for obesity and type 2 diabetes (2024) · cites this paper as [4]

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Cited by

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Related

Authors
Cornier, M.
Affiliations
Medical University of South Carolina (US)
Corresponding author
Marc‐André Cornier
Venue
The American Journal of Managed Care
Publisher
Managed Care and Healthcare Communications, LLC
Published
2022-12-01
Volume
28
Issue
Suppl 15
Pages
S288-S296
ISSN
  • 1088-0224 (ISSN-L)
  • 1936-2692
DOI
10.37765/ajmc.2022.89292
OpenAlex
W4311890439
Cited by
207
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 32 · 2025: 79 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 21
FWCI
6.27
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The American Journal of Managed Care (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Eli Lilly and Company
  • Novo Nordisk
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
obesity treatment, obesity pharmacotherapy, bariatric surgery, metabolic surgery, lifestyle therapy, body mass index, obesity staging, weight-related comorbidities, patient-provider partnership
MeSH terms
Endocrinologists, Adult, Humans, Obesity, United States, Weight Loss, Body Mass Index, Overweight

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