Combating the Obesity Crisis: The Role of Community Pharmacists in Addressing the Rising Obesity Numbers

Abstract

The last decade has seen a significant increase in obesity and overweight cases globally. The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in every 8 people globally were living with overweight and obesity in 2022. This is approximately 2.5 billion who are overweight and 890 million who are obese. The rate at which the obesity prevalence is an indication that it is ending towards being an epidemic. Considering that obesity is multifactorial, isolating the exact causes is a significant problem. As a result, there is a need to dedicate more resources towards addressing the problem. One of the ways that can be used to deal with the rising obesity prevalence is expanding the role of healthcare providers more so community pharmacists to address the problem. Community pharmacists can do more than drug management in managing the growing obesity crisis. They can be involved in weight management, guidance on lifestyle modifications, and counselling on behavior modifications. They can also be involved in community-based interventions that aim to address obesity. Keywords: obesity, obesity crisis, community pharmacists, energy intake, energy expenditure, weight management