We are pleased to announce publication of the EASO Algorithm for the pharmacological treatment of obesity and its complications in Nature Medicine. The paper, which follows on from the new EASO Framework for the Diagnosis, Staging and Management of Obesity in adults, aligns with the concept of obesity as an adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD).
EASO Medication Management Algorithm for Obesity: Personalising Obesity Medication Management
Obesity is a chronic, relapsing disease with far-reaching consequences for individual health and society. In addition to being a chronic disease in its own right, requiring sustained, personalised management and care, obesity is also a gateway to the many complications it drives, ranging from mechanical effects, such as joint disease and sleep apnoea, to metabolic and inflammatory conditions, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Effective obesity management must go beyond weight reduction alone; a holistic approach includes addressing complications, supporting mental well-being, improving physical function, and enhancing quality of life. Core strategies include behavioural modification, nutrition, physical activity, stress reduction, sleep improvement, and psychological support, alongside obesity management medications and, where appropriate, metabolic or bariatric procedures.
The number of approved obesity management medications is growing rapidly, offering clinicians more tools with distinct mechanisms of action. It is crucial that prescribing physicians understand the comparative effectiveness of these medications and how best to tailor treatment to individual patient needs. Because these medications differ in efficacy and in their impact on specific complications, personalised therapy is both feasible and necessary.
The new EASO medication management algorithm provides clinicians with practical guidance on aligning individual patient profiles with the evidence-based effects of available medications. Developed through rigorous analysis of randomised controlled trials and grounded in the new EASO obesity framework, the algorithm offers a simplified, clinically relevant tool to improve obesity management in adults.
As the science continues to evolve, this algorithm will be updated to reflect the most current evidence, ensuring treatment remains aligned with best practice in obesity care.
The Nature Medicine paper is available here: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03765-w
