When it comes to obesity, the global numbers indicate a serious and growing problem: one in eight people worldwide now struggle with obesity, a rate that has doubled since 1990. Today, we’re looking at 2.5 billion overweight adults, with 890 million classified as obese. According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States alone, “the prevalence of obesity among adults was 40.3% during the period August 2021–August 2023. The prevalence was 39.2% in men and 41.3% in women. No significant differences between men and women were seen overall or in any age group. The prevalence of obesity in adults ages 40–59 was 46.4%, which was higher than the prevalence in adults ages 20–39 (35.5%) and 60 and older (38.9%). This pattern was seen in both men and women.”
Figure 1: Prevalence of obesity in adults age 20 and older, by sex and age: United States, August 2021–August 2023
It is not only health that is impacted by obesity. There is also an economic toll. The World Obesity Atlas 2023, published by World Obesity Federation, “predicts that the global economic impact of overweight and obesity will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035 if prevention and treatment measures do not improve. At almost 3% of global GDP, this is comparable with the impact of COVID-19 in 2020.”
While these numbers are alarming, perhaps most concerning is what is happening with our youth — obesity rates have quadrupled, setting up an entire generation for increased health risks. What is more, unless significant action is taken, this problem will increase at pace. According to the World Obesity Federation, “childhood obesity could more than double by 2035 (from 2020 levels). Rates are predicted to double among boys to 208 million (100% increase) and more than double among girls to 175 million (125% increase) and are rising more rapidly among children than adults.”
A sobering picture. However, there is an unexpected ally emerging in this battle: the smart device in your pocket.
You have probably heard about the latest breakthrough medications for weight loss — those GLP-1 agonists and GIP inhibitors making headlines. Maybe you’re familiar with surgical options like gastric bands or balloon systems. But behind these prominent solutions, a quieter revolution is taking place in the world of digital health technologies, and it is transforming how we understand and treat obesity.
The Digital Health Revolution in Action
Think about the smart watch on your wrist or the fitness tracker counting your steps. These are not just convenient gadgets — they are part of an expanding arsenal of digital tools reshaping obesity research and treatment. With almost 1,600 ongoing clinical trials investigating obesity treatments, according to WCG CenterWatch, researchers are leveraging everything from smart scales to continuous glucose monitors to unlock new insights into this complex condition.
What makes these digital tools so powerful? Imagine having a continuous, detailed record of how your body responds to different foods, activities and medications throughout the day. That is exactly what these technologies provide. Your smart watch is not just counting steps; it is gathering vital data about your activity patterns, sleep quality and physiological responses. Continuous glucose monitors can track real-time blood sugar changes after meals or exercise, while smart scales can distinguish between fat loss and muscle loss.
This wealth of data is particularly valuable because obesity is not simply about calories-in versus calories-out. It is a complex interplay of genetics, diet, physical activity, mental health and various social factors. Traditional research methods have struggled to capture this complexity, but digital health technologies are changing the game by providing a more complete picture of each individual’s journey.
Bridging the Gap Between Clinic and Daily Life
One of the most exciting developments is how these personal digital health technologies are working alongside traditional clinical equipment. Think of it as a partnership between the precise, controlled measurements you get at the doctor’s office and the continuous, real-world data from your personal devices.
For instance, while you might get an accurate metabolic rate measurement during a clinic visit, your smart watch can track how your energy expenditure varies throughout your normal daily activities. Similarly, while professional body composition analyzers provide highly accurate measurements, smart scales at home can track daily trends between visits, and cardiovascular risk evaluation tools like ECG recordings and blood pressure measurements from smart devices can help to counter the potential silent killers, which could be comorbidities of the cardiovascular system. This combination of clinical precision and real-world monitoring is helping researchers identify patterns and changes that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Sleep monitoring is another area where this partnership shines. While medical-grade sleep studies remain the gold standard, consumer sleep tracking devices can provide valuable insights into sleep patterns in the user’s natural environment. This helps researchers understand the crucial relationship between sleep quality and weight management over extended periods — something that would be impractical to measure solely in a sleep lab.
Navigating the Challenges
Of course, implementing these technologies is not without its hurdles. Consider the simple challenge of ensuring accurate data from home devices. What happens if your cat steps on your smart scale or someone else in the household accidentally uses your device? Researchers have had to get creative, developing solutions like identity confirmation prompts and algorithms that can spot unusual patterns in the data.
There are also physical limitations to consider. Traditional medical equipment is often not designed to accommodate diverse body types. For example, common body composition scanners typically have weight limits around 350-400 pounds. Researchers are addressing these challenges by incorporating alternative technologies, like specialized scales that can handle up to 800 pounds.
Then there is the elephant in the room: privacy and ethical concerns. While continuous health monitoring offers enormous benefits, it also raises important questions about data ownership, storage and the psychological impact of being constantly monitored. These concerns require careful consideration and transparent communication with participants.
The Future is Digital
Looking ahead, the integration of artificial intelligence with these digital health technologies opens up even more possibilities. Imagine AI systems that can predict which treatments will work best for specific individuals or detect early warning signs of regained weight before it becomes significant. These technologies could also make specialized obesity treatment more accessible to people in rural or underserved areas through remote monitoring and telehealth consultations.
The future of obesity treatment likely lies in combining pharmaceutical interventions, lifestyle modifications and digital health technology support. This integrated approach could finally help address one of the most challenging aspects of weight management: maintaining results over the long term. Digital tools can provide the consistent support and monitoring needed for lasting success while gathering valuable data to help researchers understand what works best for different individuals.
While digital health technologies alone will not solve the obesity crisis, they represent a powerful tool in our arsenal. As we continue to face this global health challenge, these innovations are providing unprecedented insights into patient behavior and treatment response. They are helping healthcare providers and researchers develop more effective, personalized interventions and support systems for individuals struggling with obesity.
The solution to one of our biggest public health challenges might just be sitting in your pocket or wrapped around your wrist, quietly gathering the data to transform how we understand and treat obesity. As we move forward, these digital innovations, combined with traditional medical approaches, might be the key to turning the tide in this global health crisis — one data point at a time.
Dr. Tapan Raval
Dr. Tapan Raval is Director, Medical, Scientific & Regulatory, Connected Devices, for IQVIA.
