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Review
. 2025 Nov;33(11):2029-2045.
doi: 10.1002/oby.70015. Epub 2025 Sep 18.

Precision Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatment of Obesity: Pipedream or Reality?

Emily K Woolf  1 , Hanim E Diktas  1 , Andres Acosta  2 , John W Apolzan  1 , Jamy D Ard  3 , Kristen E Boyle  4 , Jack A Gilbert  5 , Peter T Katzmarzyk  1 , Paul J Laurienti  6 , Tim Lobstein  7 , Holly L Nicastro  8 , Jose M Ordovas  9 , Suzanne Phelan  10 , Leanne M Redman  1 , Brian E Roe  11 , Donna H Ryan  1 , Jacqueline M Stephens  1 , Deborah F Tate  12 , Caroline M Apovian  13 , Corby K Martin  1
Affiliations
Review

Precision Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatment of Obesity: Pipedream or Reality?

Emily K Woolf et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2025 Nov.

Abstract

Precision medicine approaches have gained attention for their potential to more effectively manage obesity by tailoring diagnosis and treatment strategies to individual characteristics, including genetic background, phenotypes, metabolic profiles, and environmental exposures. The current review evaluates the evidence for precision medicine in weight management by summarizing the proceedings of a Pennington Biomedical Scientific Symposium titled "Precision Prevention, Diagnostics, and Treatment of Obesity: Pipedream or Reality?" This review discusses the extent to which we can classify and predict obesity risk based on individual-level factors; whether we have the diagnostic capability to prospectively identify people who will benefit most from specific interventions; whether prospective trials demonstrate superior prevention and treatment of obesity when precision approaches are applied; and whether evidence is sufficient to guide policy decisions. Expert opinions were presented on the current evidence of precision medicine for obesity to collectively evaluate key barriers and opportunities for implementation of precision approaches in clinical and public health settings.

Keywords: obesity management; obesity prevention; precision medicine.

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