Gastroenterologists and Obesity
Of late, support has grown for gastroenterologists to become actively involved in obesity treatment — even to “take ownership” of this field.
In a 2023 article in Gut, Michael Camilleri, MD, AGAF, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, made the case for the natural fit between gastrointestinal (GI) specialists and obesity management. He noted that obesity is a significant risk factor for GI, pancreatic, and liver diseases. It can even affect inflammatory bowel disease.
Dr. Michael Camilleri
“Treating obesity starting when patients present in gastroenterology and hepatology clinics has potential to impact serious consequences of obesity such as cardiovascular risks,” he wrote.
Gastroenterologists already treat GI conditions with pharmacologic and surgical interventions that can also be used to treat obesity and improve glycemic control. These include pancreatic lipase inhibitors and incretin, bariatric endoscopy and surgery, and combination therapies targeting metabolic problems.
This study was supported by the American Heart Association.
Dr. Maruthur reported receiving royalties from a virtual diabetes prevention program. Dr. Pilla reported receiving travel, advisory, and speaker fees from the American Diabetes Association. Numerous authors reported receiving grants from government and nonprofit research funding organizations. Dr. Varady disclosed having no competing interests. Dr. Odda reported receiving research support and honoraria from government nonprofit funding organizations.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.