Where some may see character flaw, we see a chronic and progressive disease.1 Obesity, which is generally classified in adults as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more,2 may have a significant and persistent impact on overall health, even leading to conditions like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and more.1

But despite the millions of people living with obesity, this disease often gets overlooked by healthcare professionals—leaving patients without the proper medical care they deserve.3

Which is why we have an unordinary commitment to changing how we see and address obesity as the serious chronic disease it is.

The impact of obesity is significant and far-reaching. We all need to better understand this chronic disease in order to address it. 

Maija, who practiced kickboxing and regularly ran marathons, struggled with obesity despite an active lifestyle. Her challenge with obesity started young, having grown up in a household where if food was put on the table, you had to eat it. It was ingrained in her to not be wasteful. She was 170 pounds at 12 years old, and as she got older, she gained more weight.

In time, daily activities became a challenge. In 2011, she survived her first heart attack, prompting her to seek help from an obesity specialist who educated her about obesity as a disease. Despite big lifestyle changes and healthy habits, she experienced another heart attack in 2021.

Undeterred, Maija persevered. She continued her journey, making progress toward her weight-loss goals one day at a time. Her journey illustrates the importance of self-advocacy and seeking the right support. She hopes her story will inspire others to make better choices for themselves and their loved ones.

Obesity is a complex chronic disease influenced by genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors.8

While healthy eating and increased physical activity are important parts of managing weight, for many people with obesity, these alone may not be enough.2

Obesity is not treated in the same way as other chronic and progressive diseases.1,2 That is why it is important for healthcare professionals to understand the complexities of this condition so they can create individualized treatment plans.

Obesity is linked with at least 60 comorbidities, including2,6,9,10:

  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • High blood pressure
  • Sleep apnea
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome 

Losing weight can help improve some medical conditions associated with obesity. Often, patients with obesity are met with stigma, bias, and lack of compassion. But with the right care, they can achieve weight loss that can help make a difference in their health.11

In a world of quick fixes, we believe in making long-term changes. Which is why we’re not only pioneering life-changing medicines, we’re also investing in better understanding obesity as a disease and defeating the stigmas surrounding it.

Our continued research, innovation and efforts in obesity have solidified us as leaders in this disease area – and you can count on us to continue our unordinary commitment.

Learn more about what we are doing to drive unordinary change.

1. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH. Obesity: a chronic relapsing progressive disease. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev. 2017;18(7):715-723.

2. Garvey WT, Mechanick JI, Brett EM, et al. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology comprehensive clinical practice guidelines for medical care of patients with obesity. Endocr Pract. 2016;22(suppl 3):1-203

3. Phelan SM, Burgess DJ, Yeazel MW, Hellerstedt WL, Griffin JM, van Ryn M. Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity. Obes Rev. 2015;16(4):319-326

 4. CDC. Adult obesity facts. Obesity. Published May 14, 2024. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/adult-obesity-facts/index/html

5. CDC. Managing Obesity in Schools. Obesity. Published July 8, 2024. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/school-health-conditions/chronic/obesity.html

6. Bays HE, McCarthy W, Christensen S, et al. Obesity algorithm 2020. Presented by the Obesity Medicine Association. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://obesitymedicine.org/obesity-algorithm

7. Raisi-Estabragh Z, Kobo O, Mieres JH, et al. Racial disparities in obesity-related cardiovascular mortality in the United States: temporal trends from 1999-2000. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(18):e028409. Doi:10.1161/JAHA.122.028409

8. CDC. Risk Factors for Obesity. Obesity. Published March 18,2024. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/risk-factors/risk-factors.html

9. Ryan DH, Yocket SR. Weight loss and improvement in comorbidity: differences at 5%, 10%, 15%, and over. Curr Obes Rep. 2017; 6(2):187-194.

10. Cancers associated with overweight and obesity make up 40 percent of cancers diagnosed in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2017/p1003-vs-cancer-obesity.html

11. Hartman K. Obesity Care Week 2024: raising awareness to break the stigma of obesity. Obesity Action Coalition. Published March 5, 2024. Accessed June 20, 2025. https://www.obesityaction.org/obesity-care-week-2024-kristal-hartman/