REDUCING OBESITY RISK: PREVENTION STRATEGIES AND INFLUENCING FACTORS

Obesity, recognized as a chronic and relapsing disease, represents a significant public health issue with a prevalence that continues to rise. Worldwide, 16% of adults over the age of 18 are classified as obese, while 43% are considered overweight. The aim of this work is to highlight the urgent and comprehensive need to address this global challenge, which has profound implications for health systems and demands more effective political and economic decisions by governments. Additionally, it calls for improved communication with and motivation of patients, more effective treatment methods, and efforts to prevent stigmatization, all of which are crucial to ensuring successful treatment outcomes for obese individuals. The increasing prevalence of obesity-related conditions across all age groups necessitates the adoption of new public health measures and supportive actions. Treatment effectiveness and safety must be founded on an individualized approach, which requires consideration of the patient’s unique characteristics—such as age, comorbidities, and personal preferences—alongside the properties of medications, particularly their weight-reduction efficacy and safety profile.