U.S. Markets for Obesity Drugs and Bariatric Surgical Devices

According to the National Center for Health Statistics, more than 66% of the adult population in the United States (U.S.) is classified as overweight or obese; this ismore than 40% (or nearly half) the total population.  Obesity is growing not only inthe U.S. but in industrialized countries and now affects an estimated 300 million people worldwide.

Due to the fact that obesity contributes to increased risk for serious chronic diseases/disorders including cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes, great demand exists in the U.S. and worldwide for more effective, safer therapies that will not only cut treatment costs but better manage comorbidities,while enacting long-term weight loss.  New weight loss therapies—including improved obesity drugs and less invasive bariatric surgical systems—are the focus of this report.

Obesity, as defined by the American Obesity Association, is defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or higher than the 95th percentile for age and gender or a BMI of 30 or higher.  Although obesity may also be defined by a variety of criteria including bioelectrical impedance analysis, crude weight, densitometry, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, lean body mass, skinfold thickness (skin calipers), and/or waist-to-hip ratio, the most commonly used definition involves BMI.  The BMI is a mathematical calculation obtained by dividing a person's body weight in kilograms by their height in meters squared, or by using the conversion with pounds and inches squared.

The BMI classification is organized into four general categories:

• a BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 = overweight;
• a BMI of 30.0 to 39.9  = obese;
• a BMI of 40.0 to 49.9 = morbidly obese; and,
• a BMI of 50.0 or higher = super morbidly obese.

A BMI of 25 marks the point at which the risk of disease increases as a result of excess weight, and as BMI exceeds 25, three-quarters of the increase is in fat mass. For people of average height, this typically corresponds to a waist circumference of approximately 40 inches in men and 35 inches in women.  As BMI rises, health risks continue to increase.  People with a BMI of 30 or higher are believed to be at risk of premature death due to excess weight and those with a BMI of 40 or higher are at significant risk.  People are classified as morbidly obese if they are 50% to 100% or 100 pounds over their ideal body weight. 

It should be noted that in certain circumstances, BMI may be misleading.  For example, very muscular people tend to have a high BMI, as muscle weighs more than fat.  And naturally, pregnant and lactating women also have a higher than normal BMI.