The Department of Endocrinology, 
Obesity is a communicable disease.
- Department of Endocrinology, Bharti Hospital, Karnal, India
- University Center for Research & Development, Chandigarh University, Mohali.
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, AIIMS, Bathinda.
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Christian Medical College, Vellore, India
- Non communicable disease unit, Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Vol. 74 · Issue 4 · pp. 820-821
PMID 38751290 DOI 10.47391/jpma.24-29
Cite This Article
Sanjay Kalra, Madhur Verma, Nitin Kapoor. Obesity is a communicable disease. JPMA. The Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association. 2024;74(4):820-821. doi:10.47391/jpma.24-29
Abstract
Obesity has multiple causes and correlates. Usually studied as a metabolic and endocrine disease, with mechanical and musculoskeletal comorbidities, obesity also has a communicable angle to it. Obesity can be considered a communicable disease from the conventional point of view, as it is associated with viral etiology in animal and human models. It is also associated with increased prevalence and worse prognosis of infectious diseases. Not only that, obesity is a 'socially communicable' disease, as it 'spreads' amongst people living in similar environments.
Keywords
- Communicable disease
- infectious disease
- obesity
- overweight
- public health.
