NHC Issues Guidelines for the Treatment of Obesity (2024 Edition)

On 17 October, the National Health Commission (NHC) issued its first definitive Guidelines for the Treatment of Obesity (2024 Edition) (“Guidelines”), promoting standardised, evidence-based diagnosis and treatment developed through interdisciplinary collaboration.

The Guidelines comprehensively outlines standards for clinical nutrition, drug therapy, surgical treatment, behavioural and psychological interventions, and physical exercise to ensure medical quality, safety, and patient health. It refines the classification and degree of obesity—mild, moderate, severe, and extremely severe—and guides doctors in prescribing treatment based on the presence of coexisting conditions. Adhering to the Guidelines will help ensure that future clinical practices align with evidence-based medicine.

China's rapid economic and social development has led to an abundance of food and more sedentary lifestyles, resulting in a significant rise in overweight and obesity rates. A 2020 survey revealed that over 50 percent of adults, nearly 20 percent of children aged six to 17, and 10 percent of those under six are currently overweight or obese in China.? To address the issue and promote healthy lifestyles, NHC launched a campaign designating 2024 as the “Year of Weight Management.”

Since the former Ministry of Health introduced the Guidelines for Prevention and Control of Overweight and Obesity in Chinese Adults (Trial) in 2003, more than 10 additional documents have been released, providing a range of clinical consensus statements and intervention recommendations from experts in disease management, nutrition, and treatment.

The Guidelines represents the first comprehensive clinical framework that consolidates expertise from various disciplines to address the growing health burden posed by obesity and its associated conditions in China. However, to optimise prevention and treatment, the Guidelines should be included in a broader strategy to combat obesity.?Additional policy innovations are necessary to incorporate obesity management into both medical services and non-medical initiatives.

The role of innovative drugs in preventing and treating obesity should also be highlighted. While the Guidelines recommends GLP-1 RA drugs as a treatment option for obesity, further efforts are needed to enhance the accessibility and affordability of such innovative treatments.