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Dr Repas has served on the speakers bureaus of GlaxoSmithKline Inc, Novo Nordisk Inc, sanofiaventis US, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals North America Inc.

Address correspondence to Thomas B. Repas, DO, Department of Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, 600 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53792-3284. E-mail: tb.repas{at}hosp.wisc.edu

The obesity epidemic is associated with numerous health-related sequelae, including alterations in glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. These conditions, in turn, are associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, which ultimately leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Abdominal obesity, in particular, has been identified as a key risk factor. Accordingly, therapeutic lifestyle change remains the cornerstone of treatment for patients with obesity. Therapeutic lifestyle change is effective; even moderate weight loss leads to clinical improvements. However, lifestyle change is often challenging to implement, and pharmacologic therapies may become necessary. Available pharmacologic and surgical treatment modalities for patients with obesity are fraught with challenges of their own, including poor patient adherence and presence of adverse events. The author outlines available modes of treatment and their consequences for patients with obesity.