The ABCD of Obesity: An EASO Position Statement on a Diagnostic Term with Clinical and Scientific Implications

Fruhbeck G., Busetto L., Dicker D., Yumuk V., Goossens G. H., Hebebrand J., ...More

OBESITY FACTS, vol.12, no.2, pp.131-136, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 12 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1159/000497124
  • Journal Name: OBESITY FACTS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.131-136
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: No

Abstract

Obesity is a frequent, serious, complex, relapsing, and chronic disease process that represents a major public health problem. The coining of obesity as an adiposity-based chronic disease (ABCD) is of particular relevance being in line with EASO's proposal to improve the International Classification of Diseases ICD-11 diagnostic criteria for obesity based on three dimensions, namely etiology, degree of adiposity, and health risks. The body mass index as a unique measurement of obesity does not reflect the whole complexity of the disease. Obesity complications are mainly determined by 2 pathological processes, i.e., physical forces (fat mass disease) as well as endocrine and immune responses (sick fat disease), which are embedded in a cultural and physical context leading to a specific ABCD stage. (c) 2019 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel