New Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity Section: Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Staging of Obesity in Adults

ARLINGTON, Va., June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the Obesity Association, a division of the American Diabetes Association^® (the association), announced the next section in the Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity, "Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Staging of Obesity in Adults," published in Diabetes, Obesity, and CardioMetabolic CARE^® and BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.  

"Obesity is not simply a matter of weight—it is a multifactorial, chronic disease requiring systematic, person-centered care. These guidelines equip clinicians with the guidance and tools to identify risk earlier, reduce underdiagnosis, and deliver precise and effective care," said Victoria Bouhairie, MD, DipABLM, DABOM, the American Diabetes Association's (ADA's) senior vice president of obesity and prevention.

Importantly, recommendations are operationalized within the care guidance, offering integrated diagnostic pathways situated within core clinical workflows—shifting narrative and conceptional guidance into clinical action steps to offer person-centered care.

Key highlights of the guidance:

• Early screening: Annual BMI screening with emphasis on tracking weight trends to identify risk earlier, including a longitudinal life-event weight graph tool for standardized assessment.
• Enhanced diagnosis: Combines BMI with waist measurements and population-specific thresholds to improve accuracy. Notably, the guidelines recommend that BMI in the overweight range together with central adiposity measurements warrant a formal obesity diagnosis.
• Comprehensive evaluation: Holistic assessment including medical, behavioral, and social factors. Offers a fully integrated obesity diagnostic algorithm.
• Risk stratification: Use of tools like the Edmonton Obesity Staging System to guide care.
• Chronic care approach: Ongoing monitoring and follow-up to support long-term management.
• Reducing bias: Promotes person-centered, non-stigmatizing care and system-level improvements at the clinical workflow level and encourages screening for prior weight bias/stigma experiences.

"This guidance reflects the ADA's continued commitment to advancing evidence-based care by addressing gaps in diagnosis and treatment. Accurate diagnosis and thoughtful evaluation are the foundation of effective obesity care. These standards empower healthcare professionals to deliver care that is individualized, respectful, and grounded in science," said Rita Kalyani, MD, MHS, the ADA's chief scientific and medical officer.

The Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity are part of the broader work of the association to change the conversation on obesity care, recognizing obesity as the complex disease it is and working to support both people with obesity and professionals to improve health outcomes. The guidelines reflect rigorous evidence review and expert consensus, thanks to the efforts of the ADA's Professional Practice Committee (PPC) and PPC section leads Kimberly A. Gudzune, MD, MPH, and Leigh Perreault, MD, FACE, FACP.

 About the Obesity Association  
Obesity is a chronic disease affecting millions of people in the U.S. with obesity accounting for up to 53% of new cases of type 2 diabetes every year. The Obesity Association, a division of the American Diabetes Association, is dedicated to reducing the prevalence of obesity and improving health outcomes. Through a focus on education, action, and evidence-based support, we strive to create a world where people affected by obesity can thrive.

About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is the nation's leading voluntary health organization fighting to end diabetes and helping people thrive. This year, the ADA celebrates 85 years of driving discovery and research to prevent, manage, treat, and ultimately cure—and we're not stopping. There are over 155 million Americans living with diabetes or prediabetes. Through advocacy, program development, and education, we're fighting for them all. To learn more or to get involved, visit us at diabetes.org or call 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383). Join us in the fight on Facebook (American Diabetes Association), Spanish Facebook (Asociación Americana de la Diabetes), LinkedIn (American Diabetes Association), and Instagram (@AmDiabetesAssn). To learn more about how we are advocating for everyone affected by diabetes, visit us on X (@AmDiabetesAssn).

Contact: Virginia Cramer, (703) 253-4927
[email protected]

SOURCE American Diabetes Association