AGA members are raising the alarm about the connection between obesity and health conditions such as metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) and the importance of making lifesaving treatment accessible to improve patient outcomes.
Obesity is a complex disease that impacts Americans from all walks of life, and it can carry a stigma with it. Unfortunately, this is particularly true for certain ethnic and racial groups who are disproportionally affect by obesity, including nearly 50% of Hispanic adults.
In two new recently published op-eds, Drs. Lisa Mathew and Violeta Popov wrote their local papers in Colorado and New York to stress the importance of treating obesity with the full spectrum of treatment options before it becomes a greater danger to patients by causing significant health issues, such as MASLD.
The positive news is that physicians know how to prevent MASLD. However, lack of coverage for obesity treatments is a significant barrier for many individuals and poses a major obstacle for patients to receive access to lifesaving care.
Policymakers must grasp the connection between obesity and life-threatening health conditions like MASLD and take steps to ensure Medicaid covers obesity treatments, which will benefit the health and wellbeing of all Americans.
Read what our members are saying about the obesity crisis in the media below.
Dr. Lisa Mathew
“In Colorado, the Hispanic community is the fastest-growing demographic and is diagnosed with obesity at rates higher than the general population. Certain genetic factors also increase the susceptibility of Hispanic patients to MASLD. But unless we address underlying obesity, we will continue to waste billions of dollars and lose countless lives needlessly. […]
[…] Physicians and policymakers must come together to recognize the connection between obesity and liver disease and develop lasting solutions to ensure patients receive the treatment they deserve. The liver is the body’s natural detox system, and we cannot live without it. However, it can’t protect us if we don’t protect it."
Dr. Violeta Popov
“MASLD is directly linked to obesity and represents an urgent yet overlooked health crisis, especially in Hispanic communities. Physicians know how to prevent MASLD: by treating obesity. Yet many patients lack access to the treatment and care that could save their lives. […]
[…] In the next legislative session, policymakers must recognize the connection between obesity and other diseases, including liver disease, and work to develop solutions to ensure patients can receive the treatment they desperately need and deserve.”
