The recently published "Swiss Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines" provide a structured, multidisciplinary framework for healthcare professionals. They form the new foundation for the treatment of obesity. The new guidelines were significantly influenced by the USZ.
“A key benefit of the guidelines is the explicitly required empathetic, non-stigmatizing approach,” explains lead author Prof. Dr. Philipp Gerber of the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetology, and Clinical Nutrition. Gerber developed the guidelines in collaboration with national professional associations, Dr. Patrick Pasi of the Department of Consultation Psychiatry and Psychosomatics, and other authors. Unlike previous recommendations, the focus is no longer solely on weight loss, but rather on improving overall health indicators, reducing comorbidities, and enhancing functional capacity for those affected. “Reducing prejudice against overweight people is essential to building trust in treatment and improving the quality of care,” the authors explain in their justification for the change. The guidelines emphasize the need for personalized care for certain population groups, such as older adults, for whom maintaining muscle mass and bone health is a priority.
A step-by-step model and modern therapies
The guidelines recommend a tiered care model: primary care physicians play a central role in screening and primary care, while patients with a BMI of 35 kg/m² or higher or with severe complications should be referred to specialized centers. For more accurate risk stratification, it is recommended to incorporate waist circumference and body composition analyses rather than relying solely on BMI.
The foundation of every treatment plan consists of a multimodal lifestyle intervention that includes nutrient-dense foods (e.g., the Mediterranean diet), physical activity (150–300 minutes per week), and behavioral therapy approaches. If these measures are not sufficient, modern drug therapies are used, such as incretin-based GLP-1 or dual GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonists, or bariatric and metabolic surgeries.
