SoPR-Oct2006
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Handbook of WMA Policies
World Medical Association ½ S-2006-05-2006
WMA STATEMENT
ON
THE PHYSICIAN’S ROLE IN OBESITY
Adopted by the 57th
WMA General Assembly, Pilanesberg, South Africa, October 2006
PREAMBLE
1. Obesity is one of the single most important health issues facing the world in the
twenty-first century, affecting all countries and socio-economic groups and repre-
senting a serious drain on health care resources.
2. Obesity has complex origins linked to economic and social changes in society in-
cluding the obesogenic environment within which much of the population lives.
3. Therefore the WMA urges physicians to use their roles as leaders to advocate for recog-
nition by national health authorities that reduction in obesity should be a priority, with
culturally appropriate policies involving physicians and other key stakeholders.
THE WMA RECOMMENDS THAT PHYSICIANS:
1. Lead the development of societal changes that emphasize environments which support
healthy food choices and regular exercise or physical activity for all people;
2. Individually and through medical associations, express concern that excessive tele-
vision viewing and video game playing are impediments to physical activity among
children and adolescents in many countries;
3. Encourage individuals to make healthy choices;
4. Recognise the role of personal decision making and the adverse influences exerted by
current environments;
5. Recognise that collection and evaluation of data can contribute to evidence based
management, and should be part of routine medical screening and evaluation through-
out life;
6. Encourage the development of life skills that contribute to a healthy lifestyle in all
persons and to better public knowledge of healthy diets, exercise and the dangers of
smoking and excess alcohol consumption;
S-2006-05-2006½ Pilanesberg
Obesity
7. Contribute to the development of better assessment tools and databases to enable better
targeted and evaluated interventions;
8. Ensure that obesity, its causes and management remain part of continuing professional
development programmes for health care workers, including physicians;
9. Use pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery consistent with evidence-based guidelines
and an assessment of the risks and benefits associated with such therapies.