Last month, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially declared obesity a disease. While this action doesn’t immediately change any governmental or private programs, it could be a significant step toward a widespread change in interpretation of obesity in public health. Previously, there was no consistent AMA classification of obesity, with AMA policies describing obesity as a “disorder,” “chronic condition,” “major health concern” or “public health problem.” The designation of obesity as a disease was actually against the recommendations of the AMA’s Council on Scientific Affairs, which had issued a report stating that there is a lack of evidence about a direct relationship between obesity and mortality or morbidity, as well as flaws in the Body Mass Index (BMI) measurement commonly used to define obesity. The report from the Council on Scientific Affairs presented both pros and cons for defining obesity as a disease, with the final recommendation that obesity continue to be considered a “major public health program” instead of a disease. Arguments for calling obesity a disease included the possibility of increased funding for obesity prevention programs and better reimbursement for treatments. The report’s arguments against a disease definition included reducing patient motivation to eat healthier and be more active and an increased reliance on drug treatments for obesity. The report also expressed concern that funds could be used for research into treatments, rather than public health prevention efforts. And of course, with any major announcement in public health, especially one related to obesity, there is some debate about whether this is the right direction. Some media coverage has indicated that this will make it easier for patients to get insurance coverage for treatments related to obesity and could help reduce the stigma of being overweight or obese. But other opinions have stated that this announcement could encourage actions against the food industry. What do you think about this new classification of obesity as a disease?