An illustration by Mariaelena Caputi showing the silhouettes of a man who becomes thin from obese. While a doctor's prescription appears within the silhouettes of the obese man and the overweight man, symbolizing the state of illness in which the subject pours, it is not visible within the silhouette of the thin man.

Should We End Obesity?

The weight-loss drug explosion has forced a reconsideration of what “healthy” means. As drugs like Ozempic transform both standard medical practice and cultural ideas about weight loss, a contentious debate is simmering beneath the surface: should we even be treating obesity?

An illustration by Mariaelena Caputi showing the silhouettes of a man who becomes thin from obese. While a doctor's prescription appears within the silhouettes of the obese man and the overweight man, symbolizing the state of illness in which the subject pours, it is not visible within the silhouette of the thin man.

Should We End Obesity?

The weight-loss drug explosion has forced a reconsideration of what “healthy” means. As drugs like Ozempic transform both standard medical practice and cultural ideas about weight loss, a contentious debate is simmering beneath the surface: should we even be treating obesity?