Is Obesity a Disease? It is Too Early to Say Yes.

Obesity is an increasing health problem worldwide, accounting for many comorbidities. Many experts believe that preventive and therapeutic strategies cannot be practical if obesity is not recognized as a disease. Accordingly, a majority of organizations and authorities agree with classifying obesity as a disease. However, it is not really known whether obesity is a disease. There is no doubt that excessive obesity is a disease; however, this debate focused on milder classes of obesity, which are more common and involve varying degrees. The study dealt with this issue by adopting three different approaches, showing the impossibility of answering this question based on scientific and legal approaches. In the utilitarian approach, it is necessary to first examine areas affected by this issue and then consider the specific conditions of each country, including the healthcare system's approach, in each area. Experts in various fields need to comment on the benefits and harms of labeling obesity a disease, depending on the specific circumstances of each community, to determine whether it is benefical to the greater good to accept obesity as a disease. Therefore, this issue will remain open for discussion.
This article is the counterpart of another article (Is Obesity a Disease? Yes) in this issue.