I joined the Obesity Society in 2013 while I was a resident. The previous year hailed the approval of the combination medication topiramate/phentermine, which was the first new obesity medication approved in many years. Before that, orlistat was the only approved treatment for long-term management. This approval opened a new era for obesity medicine and offered hope to many individuals.
Following that, liraglutide was introduced, and in 2021 and 2022, we saw the emergence of highly effective anti-obesity medications that demonstrated around 15% weight loss or more.
Every year, I attend Obesity Week primarily to hear about science. Although my focus is mainly on clinical practice, my scientific curiosity occasionally needs to be nurtured with good research topics. I try to attend the opening session, particularly the presidential plenary.
This year, Dr. Jamie Ard delivered a heartfelt presentation in memory of Alison Field, a PhD who dedicated her life to obesity research and unfortunately passed away in October 2024. Her friends created a moving video to honor her contributions and significant work in the field of obesity.
Next came the conference's highlight: the main topic that draws many of us each year. This year's theme was "Advancing Equitable Care." The keynote presentation was given by a patient who has struggled with obesity for a long time, much like many of our patients. She shared her story of participating in a program similar to "The Biggest Loser" in the UK, highlighting the challenges individuals face with obesity.
There were four other panelists, all renowned figures in the obesity field, who work in academia globally. However, my main takeaway from the discussion was not particularly novel. Now, mine might be an unpopular opinion, but those of us in the obesity field are generally aware of the struggles patients face. While we may occasionally forget and harbor biases toward this disease — biases that we might not have toward other conditions like diabetes — I was hoping for groundbreaking new science or a more hopeful outlook on upcoming developments during the presidential plenary. Instead, I felt the presentation was somewhat repetitive and less science-driven, resembling content more suited for a television show aimed at a lay audience without a science background.
In this current era of medicine, where many patients seek information from platforms like TikTok, I expected much more from the opening session. I hope that future Obesity Weeks will return to the balance of science and clinical discussions that characterized previous years.
Dr. Luis Lam has no conflicts of interest to report.
Image by SDI Productions / Getty Images
