What field of healthcare focuses on the prevention and treatment of obesity?

Bariatrics is the field of healthcare dedicated to the prevention, management, and treatment of obesity and weight-related conditions. Specialists in this field address obesity through various means, including lifestyle interventions, medical treatments, and surgical procedures. They understand the complex factors that contribute to obesity, encompassing physical, psychological, and environmental aspects, and work towards enabling individuals to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

While nutrition plays a crucial role in managing obesity, it primarily focuses on dietary intake and nutritional education rather than the broader systemic approaches that bariatrics encompasses. Endocrinology might deal with hormonal influences on weight and metabolism, but it does not specifically focus on obesity as a primary specialization. Cardiology, on the other hand, is concerned with heart-related conditions, although it may intersect with obesity in terms of cardiovascular disease risk. Hence, bariatrics stands out as the specialized field directly engaged with obesity prevention and treatment strategies.