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American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists Announces an Advanced Framework for a New Medically-Actionable Diagnosis of ObesityLAS VEGAS --(Business Wire)-- An advanced framework for a new diagnostic approach to obesity was announced today by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) at their 23rd Annual Scientific and Clinical Congress. An emergent concept from the Consensus Conference on Obesity, convened by AACE and the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) in March 2014, was that the current diagnostic definition of obesity, which relied on an anthropomorphic measure of body mass index (BMI), needed to be updated. BMI alone does not indicate how weight gain might be affecting the health of individual patients, and multiple stakeholders at the Consensus Conference saw this as a major obstacle to concerted action in combating obesity. The new obesity definition and diagnostic strategy is actionable, medically-meaningful and adds value to the health-promoting effects of weight loss. "This approach addresses a problem of diagnostic uncertainty and is the first step in removing the impediment for concerted and comprehensive action among health care professionals, health care systems, regulators, payers, and employers," said Dr. W. Timothy Garvey, Chair of the AACE/ACE Consensus Conference on Obesity and Obesity Scientific Committee and author of the AACE/ACE Obesity Consensus Statement. In 2011, AACE/ACE declared obesity as a chronic disease as did the American Medical Association in June 2013. The new approach does notsimply depend upon BMI alone, but also the impact of weight gain on health. A four-step approach is recommended for all patients: screening using BMI with adjustments for ethnic differences, clinical evaluation for the presence of obesity-related complications using a checklist, staging for the severity of complications using complication-specific criteria, and selection of prevention and/or intervention strategies targeting specific complications as guided by the AACE/ACE obesity management algorithm. "This advanced framework for obesity will serve as a foundation for major change in the anti-obesity arena," said Dr. Jeffrey I. Mechanick, F.A.C.P., F.A.C.E., F.A.C.N., E.C.N.U., AACE president. The next steps will be to obtain broad input and recommendations regarding the framework for the new diagnostic approach from participants at the Consensus Conference on Obesity. The goal is to assure broad-based acceptance, translation, and implementation of the diagnosis that will support concerted action around a rational and comprehensive plan to prevent and treat obesity. To read additional press releases about the AACE 23rd Annual Scientific and Clinical Congress in Las Vegas, please visit media.aace.com or use the Twitter (News - Alert) hashtag #AACE14. For a brief bio and photo of Dr. W. Timothy Garvey and Dr. Jeffrey I. Mechanick, please click here. About the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) The American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) represents more than 6,500 endocrinologists in the United States and abroad. AACE is the largest association of clinical endocrinologists in the world. The majority of AACE members is certified in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism and concentrate on the treatment of patients with endocrine and metabolic disorders including diabetes, thyroid disorders, osteoporosis, growth hormone deficiency, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity. Visit our site at www.aace.com. About the American College of Endocrinology (ACE) The American College of Endocrinology (ACE) is the educational and scientific arm of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). ACE is the leader in advancing the care and prevention of endocrine and metabolic disorders by providing professional education and reliable public health information; recognizing excellence in education, research and service; promoting clinical research and defining the future of clinical endocrinology. For more information, please visit www.aace.com/college.
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