Obesity as a Chronic Disease

Obesity is a long-term medical condition, not a matter of willpower. It is caused by a combination of genetics, hormones, environment and behaviour, and it tends to persist unless treated. Like diabetes or high blood pressure, it needs ongoing medical care.

Obesity is a chronic, relapsing, multifactorial disease characterised by abnormal or excessive adiposity that impairs health. Major medical bodies, including the WHO and the American Medical Association, recognise it as a disease state driven by neuroendocrine dysregulation of energy homeostasis, genetic predisposition and an obesogenic environment.

Understanding obesity as a chronic disease reduces stigma and helps patients seek long-term, medically supervised treatment. At Accord Medical Clinic, Dr Joseph Wang treats obesity with the same structured, ongoing approach used for other chronic conditions.