This is the first in a two-lecture series that provides a comprehensive overview of obesity. It explores the aetiology and pathophysiology of the condition, its prevalence, associations with co-morbidities, and current management strategies.

Learning points:
- Obesity is associated with physical and mental (ill)health including non-communicable diseases, and its impact extends beyond health.

- Pharmacotherapy treatment for obesity is gaining pace and producing weight loss outcomes that are far beyond what has been observed previously, and many people are buying these medications privately.

- Weight loss (regardless of mechanism) is associated with bone and muscle loss – which could be of concern in the future.

- To deliver evidence-based care to patients with obesity, we must ensure that we do not stigmatise them or their obesity, by improving our knowledge and understanding of obesity, and our communication skills.

- We need to ensure that our interventions are theory and evidence based and meet the needs of our patients – there needs to be a sound rational for our interventions and our approach must respect patient autonomy.