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Global Obesity Statistics
The primary diagnostic criterion for obesity is body mass index (BMI), calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in square meters (kg/m²). A BMI of 25–29.9 indicates overweight status, values above 30 indicate obesity, and values above 40 indicate severe (morbid) obesity. Healthcare professionals and media outlets increasingly describe excess weight as an "epidemic" or even a "pandemic" due to its rapid spread, and the statistics support this characterization.
WHO calculated that in 2022, 2.5 billion adults worldwide were overweight, of whom 890 million had obesity, representing 43% of the adult population. Future projections are even more concerning. According to the World Obesity Atlas 2024, the number of adults with obesity could rise from 810 million in 2020 to 1.53 billion by 2035.
In the United States, obesity prevalence increased from 18.6% in 1990 to 42.0% in 2022. In Brazil, it tripled from 8.6% to 28.1%, while in Egypt it nearly doubled from 19.4% to 44.3% over the same period. In China, between 2000 and 2016, the number of overweight individuals increased 2.8-fold.
Childhood obesity rates are increasing even more rapidly, over the same 32-year period, prevalence increased fourfold. The prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents aged 5–19 years rose from 8% in 1990 to 20% in 2022. By conservative estimates, approximately 159 million children and adolescents worldwide currently have obesity. The highest rates occur in Pacific island nations (such as Nauru, Cook Islands, and Samoa), as well as in Latin America and the Middle East.
Russia demonstrates a similar epidemiological trend. In 2024, 3 million Russians were diagnosed with obesity. Over 12 years, this number increased by 1.8 million, with 542,000 new diagnoses (110,000 more than the previous year). However, the National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology estimates the actual number of people with obesity and overweight is much higher, around 45 million. More than 200,000 deaths in Russia are associated with excess body weight and obesity, representing one in every eight deaths in 2023.
Health Risks Associated with Obesity
Excess weight and especially obesity primarily cause metabolic dysfunction, followed by numerous other pathologies. A 2015 meta-analysis of data from 195 countries over 25 years established causal relationships between elevated BMI and 20 different diseases. In 2019 alone, approximately 5 million people died prematurely as a result of obesity.
Up to 70% of patients with obesity have dyslipidemia (elevated LDL cholesterol levels), and up to 30% have metabolic syndrome. The latter comprises several conditions: excessive abdominal fat accumulation, hypertension, and elevated blood glucose levels. These factors inevitably increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, including life-threatening conditions such as heart failure and arrhythmias, as well as myocardial infarction and stroke. Obesity is a primary risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, as it causes insulin resistance (decreased tissue sensitivity to insulin), which over time leads to exhaustion of the pancreas's insulin production capacity.
Researchers have also linked excess weight to malignant neoplasms. In 2019 in the United States, approximately 43,720 new cancer cases in men (4.8%) and 92,200 in women (10.6%) were associated with overweight and obesity. These include liver cancer, gallbladder cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, endometrial cancer in women, and other malignancies. Similar statistics have been reported by European researchers. A study published in The Lancet involving 5.24 million adults in the United Kingdom showed that 41% of uterine cancer cases and over 10% of gallbladder, kidney, liver, and colon cancer cases were linked to overweight and obesity.
Beyond potentially fatal pathologies, excess weight and obesity significantly impact psychological well-being. Constant pressure from societal beauty standards, external judgment, and negative self-comparison create chronic stress and body shame. This leads to decreased self-esteem, social isolation, and development of anxiety disorders and depression. This multilayered problem creates conditions for eating disorders, which in turn exacerbate weight issues.
Obesity Treatment, A Multifaceted Challenge
Given that obesity is accompanied by a broad spectrum of diseases, patients require long-term treatment adherence, sustainable lifestyle changes, and modification of eating habits. Regardless of obesity stage, the weight management journey should involve specialists from various disciplines: primarily an endocrinologist, registered dietitian, psychologist, physical therapist or rehabilitation specialist, and when necessary, a bariatric surgeon.
The endocrinologist serves as the primary care coordinator and is the key specialist for prescribing pharmacological and surgical treatment. Pharmacological treatment is indicated when BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² or when BMI ≥ 27 kg/m² with risk factors and/or comorbid conditions. Medical treatment must be combined with dietary modification and adequate physical activity, especially in early-stage obesity.
The dietitian develops individualized meal plans, provides nutritional and lifestyle recommendations, orders necessary diagnostic tests, and recommends medications that normalize metabolic processes. The psychologist plays a significant role in obesity treatment by addressing two key aspects: eating disorders and treatment adherence. The physical therapist or rehabilitation specialist is responsible for maintaining physical activity, with exercises selected individually for each patient based on age, degree of obesity, and presence of cardiovascular disease.
When necessary and when criteria are met, the physician may recommend surgical treatment. According to current clinical guidelines, bariatric surgery is recommended for patients for whom conservative treatment methods (diet, pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy) are ineffective, with BMI above 30 and concurrent metabolic syndrome.
Clinics in Russia Offering Obesity Treatment
SM-Clinic Obesity Surgery Center, Moscow
Key competencies
The center is directed and all surgical operations are supervised by Vladislav Davydov, MD, PhD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Surgery at SM-Clinic. Under his leadership, over 800 bariatric operations are performed annually:
- Sleeve gastrectomy (SLEEVE)
- Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG)
- Gastric bypass
- Biliopancreatic diversion
- Adjustable gastric banding
The center employs highly qualified physicians who are members of prestigious international professional associations.
MEDSI (Center for Bariatric and Endocrine Surgery), Moscow
Key competencies:
Modern surgical procedures:
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric bypass
- Intragastric balloon placement
- Minimally invasive laparoscopic procedures
Advantages
The Center for Bariatric and Endocrine Surgery is headed by Dmitry Alaev, MD, PhD, an experienced bariatric surgeon with 18 years of experience. He specializes in treating type 2 diabetes in patients with morbid obesity, endocrine diseases, and performing laparoscopic and robot-assisted operations. The team also includes bariatric surgeon Timur Britvin.
Veterans of War Hospital No. 3, Moscow
Key competencies
Full spectrum of bariatric operations, including laparoscopic interventions for treating morbid obesity and metabolic disorders.
Advantages
Multidisciplinary hospital with 15 specialized departments. Leading specialist, bariatric surgeon Sergey Kachurin, who performs comprehensive evaluations and operations.
Medeor (Associated Center for Bariatric Treatment of the European Association for the Study of Obesity), Chelyabinsk
Key competencies
Modern surgical procedures:
- Sleeve gastrectomy
- Gastric bypass
- Intragastric balloon placement
- Gastric banding
Advantages
Up to 170 bariatric operations annually. Director of the Center for Comprehensive Obesity Treatment, Andrey Ugai, board-certified surgeon with 27 years of experience. Multidisciplinary approach: lifelong specialist monitoring, endocrinologist and medical psychologist support. Remote patient management option after surgery.
Weight Correction and Dietetics Clinic (N.I. Pirogov City Clinical Hospital No. 1 – First City Hospital), Moscow
Key competencies
Conservative obesity treatment, preparation of patients for bariatric operations, postoperative management. Bariatric operations (sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass) are performed in the hospital's surgical department using laparoscopic approach.
Advantages
Multidisciplinary obesity treatment service. 99% of patients achieve safe weight reduction (5-10% of body weight over 3-6 months). Individualized approach, collaboration with dietitians, endocrinologists, psychologists. Intensive weight loss training in small groups. Pre- and post-bariatric surgery counseling, mandatory dietitian follow-up during the first year after surgery.
National Medical Research Center of Endocrinology (Center for Treatment and Prevention of Metabolic Disorders and Obesity), Moscow
Key competencies
Diagnosis and treatment of obesity in children and adults, endoscopic and surgical methods: intragastric balloon, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass. Comprehensive approach to treating metabolic disorders.
Advantages
Inter-institutional interdisciplinary center established in 2022. Director, Olga Vasyukova, MD, PhD. Multidisciplinary team: endocrinologists, surgeons, dietitians, psychologists. Individualized weight loss programs with long-term result maintenance. Research-based approach studying genetic factors of obesity.
Center for Weight Surgery and Metabolic Disorders (at the Institute of Plastic Surgery and Cosmetology), Moscow
Key competencies
All types of bariatric operations: laparoscopic banding, sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, biliopancreatic diversion, reconstructive bariatric operations. Plastic surgery after weight loss.
Advantages
National bariatric practice with over 20 years of experience. Leading specialists: Professor Vadim Fedenko, MD, PhD; Vladimir Evdoshenko, MD, PhD; Natalia Bordan, MD, PhD. Most extensive experience performing bariatric procedures in Russia. Free initial consultation. Possibility of simultaneous operations. Use of cosmetic modifications to minimize postoperative scarring.
Frequently Asked Questions About Obesity Treatment in Russia / FAQ
What treatment methods for obesity are used in Russia?
Russia employs modern pharmacological, surgical, and non-pharmacological methods for treating obesity, as well as a wide range of medications, including next-generation GLP-1-based drugs, and performs virtually all types of bariatric operations.
What weight loss medications are available in Russia?
Russia has both registered previous-generation weight management medications (orlistat, liraglutide) and modern analogs, semaglutide-based medications, primarily domestic equivalents of Ozempic and Wegovy. Russian GLP-1-based medications include Semavik, Velgia, Quinsenta, and Sedjaro. Recent years have also seen the introduction of tirzepatide (a dual incretin receptor agonist) and its Russian analogs.
What bariatric operations are performed in Russia?
Russian surgeons perform the full spectrum of modern bariatric operations: sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y and mini-gastric bypass), biliopancreatic diversion and its modifications, gastric banding, as well as new minimally invasive techniques.
Russia has accumulated substantial experience performing these operations: the number of procedures has increased several-fold in recent years, from 4,000 operations in 2020 to nearly 10,000 in 2023. Of all operations, an average of 92% are primary operations and 8% are revision procedures. 94% of operations are performed laparoscopically. The most common operation in Russia remains sleeve gastrectomy (SLEEVE): more than half of all operations, with about one-third being mini-gastric bypass (MGB).
For more information about bariatric surgery capabilities in Russia, follow this link.
How can obesity treatment in Russia be arranged for an international patient?
You can contact state or private clinics directly, or use the services of Marus specialists who can help organize the trip and treatment: selecting a clinic, translating medical documents, visa assistance, and logistics.
First, a remote consultation with a physician will be arranged, medical documents transferred, and treatment plan agreed upon, then the patient will be invited for an in-person consultation at the medical center to determine treatment strategy.
How is monitoring conducted after the patient returns to their country of residence?
After bariatric surgery, regular long-term medical monitoring is required, part of which can be conducted remotely. In the first months, monitoring is performed every 4-12 weeks, then every 6-12 months.
Many Russian clinics offer remote consultations with bariatric surgeons. Patients send laboratory results (vitamin and mineral levels), weight and blood pressure data to the physician via the internet and receive recommendations on diet and physical activity.
The Russian clinic can provide detailed recommendations and discharge summaries for transmission to treating physicians in the patient's country of residence, ensuring continuity of medical care.