About Diabetes

Obesity Care and Beyond

Living with obesity can be hard, but we’re here to help you on your journey to better health. It starts with small steps that lead to big improvements. 

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Obesity Care Your Way

The American Diabetes Association’s (ADA’s) Standards of Care in Diabetes defines obesity as a disease, which means obesity results from a mixture of behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors—not just from lifestyle. That means there's more to managing it than lifestyle changes like healthy eating and exercise.

One of the ways to learn more about your weight and if you may have obesity is with the body mass index (BMI)—which measures your weight against your height. But your BMI is just one piece of information, not the whole picture. To understand your risk for medical conditions like obesity and diabetes, we need to look at other factors along with your BMI.

Some of our researchers are hard at work to identify what causes obesity and how to best to provide obesity care. But what we do know is that obesity care for each person is as unique as they are. There is no single approach that works for everyone and there are many options that can be tailored to your needs.

Your Healthy Living Options

Beyond diabetes, the ADA offers a vast range of resources to support you alongside your obesity care journey. Talk with your health care provider about the obesity care options that work best for you, which will most likely be a mixture of healthy eating, physical activity, medication, surgery, emotional well-being, and lifestyle changes.

Diabetes Food Hub

Healthy Eating Made Simple

Healthy eating is important to feeling your best. Food nourishes you and affects your memories, culture, and community. Diabetes Food Hub® offers solutions to help you learn new skills to adapt family recipes, find better-for-you recipe swaps, build your shopping skills, look for important nutrition information, and help you take control of what and how you eat to feel better.

Browse thousands of healthy recipes that fit into multiple eating patterns like low-carb, Mediterranean, plant-based, kidney-friendly, and other options to meet your needs. 

With simple swaps, you can turn almost any meal into one that supports your health goals without giving up the flavor. 

Get Cooking
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FEATURED RECIPE

Unstuffed Eggroll

This unstuffed egg roll bowl is a flavorful alternative to traditional egg rolls and fits into a balanced meal that promotes weight loss and overall health. This quick and easy-to-make dish combines all the delicious components of an egg roll without the extra calories and unhealthy fats from frying. 

View Recipe
unstuffed eggroll in bowl
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Moving throughout your day will give you more energy; lower your risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease; and improve your blood glucose (blood sugar) and cholesterol levels. Breaking up sitting time with short bursts of movement every 30 minutes, such as walking in place for a few minutes, can reduce health risks and improve your overall wellbeing. 

Always speak to your health care provider before starting an exercise routine to accompany your treatment and management plan.

Here are a few resources to jumpstart or maintain your fitness journey:

 

Physical Activity Video Series

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Warm Up Exercises
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Lower Body Exercises
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Upper Body Exercises
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Core Exercises
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In combination with healthy lifestyle changes, medication can be a game-changer for obesity care. Anti-obesity medications work by making you feel less hungry and keeping you feeling full for longer. They can also help manage your blood glucose. Some common anti-obesity medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are:

  • Bupropion-naltrexone (Contrave)
  • Liraglutide (Saxenda)
  • Orlistat (Xenical, Alli)
  • Phentermine-topiramate (Qsymia)
  • Semaglutide (Wegovy)
  • Setmelanotide (Imcivree)
  • Tirzepatide (Zepbound)

These medications all require a prescription from your health care provider, so at your next visit, discuss your obesity care goals and if one of these medications is right for you. 

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Surgeries that are a part of obesity care can help by either making your stomach smaller so you cannot eat as much, or by lowering the number of calories your body can absorb. 

The three most common types of obesity care surgeries performed in the U.S. are:

  • Gastric sleeve
  • Gastric bypass
  • Adjustable gastric band

Remember, even after you have surgery, you’ll still need to have an obesity care plan you create with your health care provider. This could be a combination of medication and managing lifestyle. 

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Living with obesity takes a toll on more than just your body—it’s emotional too. Dealing with daily tasks like moving throughout your day, juggling your appointments, and following an eating plan can be overwhelming and emotionally draining. 

Remember, you’re not alone in your health journey. Ask for help and resources from your health care team when you feel overwhelmed. They can refer you to behavioral health resources that will help you cope with emotional and mental challenges that can come with obesity.

There are also ways to simplify your busy routine. For example, using a food delivery service, setting virtual appointments, making simpler meals, and other tips can help lighten your mental load.

 Simplify Your Routine

Obesity Myths

You may have heard a few things about obesity that aren’t true—but we’re here to set the record straight.

Obesity is a disease—which means obesity occurs from a mixture of behavioral, environmental, and genetic factors—not just from lifestyle—and its treatment should be taken as seriously as other medical conditions (like diabetes, heart disease, and kidney disease).

While eating unhealthily and not being active can contribute to gaining weight, they’re not the only factors. Obesity occurs from genetics (if a family member has it), certain medications, other medical and mental health conditions, and social factors that are beyond your control.

Willpower is not a reason for obesity. Managing obesity has to do with access to the medical care needed to manage the condition. There is no single approach to losing weight that will work for everyone. Two people following the same weight-loss plan can lose different amounts of weight, even if they are eating the same foods and doing the same exercises. This is because everyone’s body reacts to food and physical activity in different ways—but it doesn’t mean one person is working harder than the other. 

Obesity-Related Podcasts

Listen to our collection of obesity-related podcasts

Special Edition: A Focus on Obesity. Part 1: A Shift in Perspective

In this enlightening episode of Diabetes Day by Day, hosts Dr. Neil Skolnik and Dr. Sara Wettergreen engage in a profound discussion on the topic of

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Special Edition: A Focus on Obesity. Part 2: Navigating Lifestyle Modifications and Treatment Innovations

In this highly informative episode of Diabetes Day by Day, hosts Dr. Neil Skolnik and Dr. Sara Wettergreen explore the latest in obesity management

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Special Edition: A Focus on Obesity. Part 3: Talking to your Doctor About Obesity Treatment

In this insightful episode of Diabetes Day by Day, hosts Dr. Neil Skolnik and Dr. Sara Wettergreen delve into the newest approaches to discussing

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Leave Misinfo Behind

Change the Conversation on Obesity

Tune out the noise surrounding obesity and get the expert-driven information you deserve. At the ADA, we are here to help.


 

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Monthly Healthy Living Tips

Sign up today to keep up to date on new resources and content. You'll also be added to our Healthy Living e-newsletter, featuring information about fitness, nutrition, self-care, and more.

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The Diabetes Plate

The ADA’s Diabetes Plate can be used for weight and diabetes management by creating healthy meals without any calculating, weighing, or measuring.

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Let’s Talk About Obesity

Living with obesity is a unique experience for everyone. That’s why it’s important to have open, informed conversations about obesity with your health care provider. This resource guides you on how to discuss your or a loved one’s obesity care, including questions to ask on treatment options and methods to guide your weight management journey.

Learn More
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Understanding Obesity

There’s a lot to understand about obesity. This informative resource outlines critical facts about risks and complications, treatment and medication options, healthy lifestyle changes, and what to discuss your health care team to help you create an obesity care plan that meets your needs over time. 

Get the Facts
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Obesity Advocacy

The ADA is a leader in advocating for the rights of people with obesity. Working at the state and federal levels and in the halls of Congress, we are fighting to:

  • Improve access to person-centered obesity care. 
  • Eliminate burdensome requirements and barriers to access for obesity care.
  • Ensure person-centered choices for obesity care is prioritized.
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lillylogo is proud to support the work of the American Diabetes Association® to address obesity.