Is Obesity a Disease or Not?

This summer, the AMA recognized obesity as a disease. This is good and bad. It is good because it recognizes obesity is a condition that is not always caused simply by over-eating. It will allow some patients to get insurance treatment for treating obesity. Obesity will be taken more seriously by physicians and patients alike. On the other hand, calling obesity a disease instantly labels a great many people “sick” who are actually healthy, especially since there is no widely accepted definition or specific symptoms for the condition. Some claim that treatments such as surgery and dangerous drugs will be used more since obesity is officially a disease. Medicare no longer lists obesity as a disease, but the IRS accepts treatments as tax deductible. So far, we continue in a state of confusion on the status of obesity. Celebration of Health Association website