Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38902385›Full record

ReviewInternational journal of obesity (2005)2025

Providing a common language for obesity: the European Association for the Study of Obesity obesity taxonomy.

Jacqueline Bowman-Busato, Lucas Schreurs, Jason C G Halford, Volkan Yumuk, Grace O'Malley, Euan Woodward, Diederik De Cock, Jennifer L Baker

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in International journal of obesity (2005), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jacqueline Bowman-Busato *European Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.
Lucas Schreurs *Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1090, Brussels, Belgium. lucas.schreurs@vub.be.ORCID 0009-0007-9608-3830
Jason C G HalfordEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.
Volkan YumukEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.
Grace O'MalleyEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-2421-3866
Euan WoodwardEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.
Diederik De CockBiostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), 1090, Brussels, Belgium.
Jennifer L BakerEuropean Association for the Study of Obesity, Teddington, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-9649-6615

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe basis for a high-performing and resilient healthcare system is having a common, precise, and scientifically accurate language used across all stakeholder groups. However, such a common language is lacking for obesity. Therefore, the European Association for the Study of Obesity undertook a taxonomy initiative to provide standardised language for obesity as commonly used from policy to practice for other major policy-prioritised non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

methodsAn online Delphi consensus study was conducted, involving a panel of experts representing stakeholder groups of policymakers, healthcare professionals, people with lived experience, and researchers. Based on the understanding of obesity as an adiposity-based chronic disease, 54 statements demarcated into definition, scope and contextual usage were developed across six themes: Definition of obesity, Causes, onset and progression, Obesity prevention, Screening and early diagnosis, Treatment and management, Obesity consequences.

resultsOf the 194 invited experts, 70 (36%), 63 (33%), and 58 (30%) experts participated in rounds one, two, and three, respectively. Consensus was achieved on 70% of the proposed definitions, scope, and contextual usage after round one, 94% after round two and 100% after round three. The Definition of Obesity theme included distinctions between population-level indicators and individual-level signs of obesity, and how pre-obesity was defined. The Causes, Onset and Progression theme characterised the timing of obesity development. The Obesity Prevention theme explicitly differentiated between health promotion and primary prevention. Both the Screening and Early Diagnosis, and the Treatment and Management themes defined concepts supporting a continuum of care model. The Consequences of Obesity theme encompassed health and socio-economic outcomes.

conclusionThe taxonomy provides a contemporary evidence-based language about obesity that aligns with language used for policy-prioritised NCDs. The taxonomy is useful for education, advocacy, and communication and can be used by policymakers, healthcare professionals, people living with obesity, researchers, and health system users.

Indexed as

ObesityTerminology as TopicConsensusDelphi TechniqueEuropeHumans

Identifiers

PMID38902385
PMCPMC11805702

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.