Dear Colleagues,

Periodically, the world is shocked when infectious pandemics occur. Undoubtedly, 2020 will be remembered as the year of the COVID 19 pandemic that has made such an extraordinary impact on the world. We can be optimistic that a vaccine, specific treatment and epidemiological measures are likely to find a solution for controlling COVID 19. At the same time, the ongoing pandemic of obesity impacts the world’s population with equally devastating but clearly not as dramatic effects as COVID. The impact of obesity on the development of comorbidities and subsequently the effect on life expectancy is as devastating as any infectious pandemic. The only difference is the acuteness of the disease; infections having a relatively fast effect whilst the effects of obesity on life expectancy are more insidious, more devastating but less acute. What makes obesity even more impactful as a pandemic is the knowledge that it can be potentially preventable. Once it has gone beyond prevention and easy cure, we have at our disposal a number of therapeutic approaches that have been shown to be effective in stemming the pandemic. The challenge for us is to be able to deliver affordable care of obesity and its comorbidities to a world with variable resources, expertise and cultural practices.Continue reading here!