Is Obesity Really a Disease? | Weight and Metabolism with Dr. Deepti Sharma

This is the question I get asked most often — and the answer matters more than you might think.

In this episode, we're tackling the science, the stigma, and the uncomfortable truth: your weight is not your fault.

If you've ever been told to "just eat less and move more," if you've been blamed, judged, or dismissed because of your weight — this episode is for you. Because obesity isn't a willpower problem. It's a complex, chronic, multifactorial disease rooted in genetics, epigenetics, disrupted neurohormonal pathways, environmental factors, and socioeconomic conditions.

I break down the pathophysiology (in plain language, I promise) so you can understand just how complicated weight regulation really is. We'll talk about why the World Health Organization recognized obesity as a disease all the way back in 1948, but the American Medical Association didn't officially declare it one until 2013 — just 12 years ago.

We'll also discuss why treating obesity requires a team: physicians, nutritionists, psychologists, coaches, exercise physiologists, and sometimes bariatric surgeons. Because effective treatment isn't about shaming people into change. It's about addressing the root cause with compassion and evidence-based care.

This is where we start shifting the conversation — from blame to biology, from shame to science.

🌐 Learn more at weightandmetabolism.com

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