Experts question commercial motives behind labeling obesity as a disease

Max Moser, a psychology researcher at University College London, argues that calling obesity a disease gives comfort to some patients but also creates a commercial dynamic for drugmakers.

Companies such as Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk have highlighted the disease framing on their websites, describing obesity as a chronic, progressive condition that warrants long‑term medication.

Moser points out that the medical community has never reached consensus on what constitutes a disease, making the label especially controversial for widespread public‑health issues like obesity.

The opinion piece calls for scrutiny of the motives behind this classification, suggesting that the framing may serve pharmaceutical interests as much as, or more than, patient care.