Treatment of obesity has never been more prominent, with the advent of medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro generating both excitement and concern. Overlooked, however, is a severe shortage of doctors who actually specialize in treating obesity.
Across the United States, fewer than 100 doctors have completed a fellowship in obesity medicine and are actively practicing, according to a STAT analysis. More than half of these specialists are located across just four states — New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and California — with the majority of states not having a single one.
Given that almost 50% of the U.S. population is expected to have obesity by 2030, experts say this is the most severe patient-specialist mismatch in the country.