Redefining Obesity: A Narrative Review of Diagnostic Evolution, Therapeutic Strategies and Psychosocial Determinants
Artur Przybyłowski, Michał Górski, Weronika Gwioździk, Renata Polaniak
Abstract
Obesity is increasingly recognized as a chronic, relapsing, and multifactorial disease requiring individualized care. This narrative review synthesizes recent developments in the definition, diagnosis, and treatment of obesity, highlighting key shifts in diagnostic frameworks (e.g., ICD-11), advances in pharmacotherapy, and the psychosocial dimensions shaping care engagement. Limitations of BMI, the impact of stigma, and structural inequities are discussed as barriers to effective management. By integrating clinical, psychological, and societal perspectives, this review advocates for a multidimensional, stigma-informed, and equity-oriented approach to obesity care.
Topics & Concepts
PsychosocialNarrative reviewNarrativeStigma (botany)MedicineEquity (law)ObesitySocial stigmaConsensus conferenceDiseasePsychologyPsychotherapistPsychiatryFamily medicinePolitical sciencePathologyLawInternal medicineLinguisticsPhilosophyHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)Obesity and Health PracticesPharmacology and Obesity TreatmentEating Disorders and Behaviors