At the European Obesity Conference 2026 (ECO 2026) with the theme "Cardiovascular and Endocrine Perspectives", co-organized by the Vietnam Heart Association and Novo Nordisk, experts emphasized a new approach to obesity treatment: not only aiming to lose weight, but also to control complications, reduce cardiovascular risk and improve long-term health.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Thi Thanh Huyen - Head of the Department of Endocrinology - Musculoskeletal, National Geriatric Hospital - said that obesity is increasingly perceived as a chronic disease that needs to be managed and treated for a long time, rather than simply a weight problem.
Obesity is closely related to many common diseases such as type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease related to metabolic disorders, coronary artery disease, cerebrovascular disease and heart failure. In particular, visceral fat accumulation can be accompanied by metabolic disorders and inflammation, thereby affecting many organs in the body.
Therefore, controlling obesity is not only aimed at improving physique but is increasingly becoming an important part of the strategy to prevent cardiovascular and metabolic complications.
The approach to obesity treatment is changing. Instead of just focusing on the number of kilograms lost, doctors need to comprehensively assess the patient: what complications are there, what are the cardiovascular risks and what benefits the treatment method can bring to long-term health," said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Sy, Head of Internal Medicine Department - School of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Ho Chi Minh City, Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Cho Ray Hospital.
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Sy, the selection of treatment methods needs to be based on specific health issues, rather than just based on the ability to lose weight. People with cardiovascular disease may be prioritized for methods that have evidence of cardiovascular benefits; while people with liver disease, heart failure, blood sugar disorders or musculoskeletal problems may need different treatment goals.
Therefore, there is no single target suitable for all obese people.
From weight loss to heart protection
According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vu Thi Thanh Huyen, besides the weight lost, the "quality" of weight loss is increasingly focused on. Patients need to aim to reduce fat mass but limit lean mass loss, while maintaining muscle strength and function.
To achieve this goal, a protein-rich diet needs to be combined with appropriate physical activity, in which resistance exercises play an important role.
Therefore, quality weight loss is not simply lowering the number on weight. It is a process of reducing fat, preserving muscle mass, maintaining mobility and at the same time improving common diseases.
Experts believe that, instead of just asking the question "how much weight can be lost", it is more important to determine "to what goals weight loss is aimed at and which risks can be reduced". For people at high cardiovascular risk, treatment strategies need to be placed overall, including controlling blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, diet and physical activity.
Obesity is a chronic disease that can affect many organs, while increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease and metabolic disorders. Therefore, the ultimate goal of treatment is not only to be lighter in weight, but to be healthier, reduce complications and better protect cardiovascular health in the long term.
