Reframing obesity may end the diagnosis debate, but the health challenges remain

A new report argues there needs to be a ‘reframing’ around obesity to avoid millions of people around the world being misdiagnosed Photograph: BrianAJackson/Getty Images

Obesity is one of the world’s biggest health challenges, causing a mass of shorter, unhappier lives and a mounting burden on already overstretched healthcare systems.

There is no doubt that more people than ever before are living with excess body fat, and there is no doubt about the dangers of doing so. Obesity has the ability to harm every single organ in the body, and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and mental illness.