The scientific congress "Beyond Obesity 2026 – Balance in Comprehensive Health," held on July 24 and 25 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and organized by pharmaceutical company ADIUM together with the Cleveland Clinic, brought together more than 250 specialists in endocrinology, diabetes and nutrition.
One of the meeting's central messages was the need to destigmatize obesity: for years it was treated as a problem tied purely to personal habits, but current evidence points to physiological changes that make sustained weight loss difficult, in ways similar to diabetes or hypertension.
According to the specialists gathered at the congress, obesity should be considered a chronic disease requiring long-term treatment, not a question of willpower. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) estimates that 67.5% of adults across the Americas have overweight or obesity, a condition closely linked to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.