However, several genes, hormones, and metabolic defects have been postulated to be associated with the etiology of obesity. Before laughing at an obese person, or before blaming their obesity on their overeating, please remember that various defects in physiology can predispose a person to the disease of obesity. If life with obesity is difficult, treatment of obesity is equally ineffective. Long-term maintenance of weight lost is very poor. Researchers in the field of obesity are constantly trying to find effective treatments for obesity.
Some obesity drugs are currently available and some new drugs are being tested.
Once again, like diabetes or high blood pressure, no single drug may be useful for all patients and different patients may need drugs targeting different systems to treat obesity. Also, low calorie-low fat diets, exercise, and lifestyle modification are extremely important components of a sensible weight loss program. Obesity drugs could be supplements to the efforts of weight loss but not a substitute. One should have realistic weight loss expectations from a weight loss program.