The silent epidemic living in our bodies

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June 9, 2026 | 12:00am

One in eight people worldwide is now living with obesity — and the consequences stretch far beyond the bathroom scale. Around 90 percent of type 2 diabetes cases are attributable to excess body weight, making the two conditions almost inseparable. Since 1990, adult obesity rates have more than doubled, and childhood obesity has quadrupled. In the US, obesity rose 23 percent between 2011 and 2023, with diabetes climbing 21 percent over the same period.

These aren’t slow generational shifts — they’re changes happening within a single lifetime. Understanding the obesity-diabetes connection isn’t about blame; it’s about knowing what’s happening inside your body and what you can do about it.

The body connection

In a society that places a high value on physical appearance, obesity is often misunderstood as simply “being overweight” — a problem of willpower and self-discipline. As a result, many people living with obesity face constant shame and blame, even from those in the medical community.

But obesity is a chronic disease, driven by a complex mix of genetic, metabolic, psychological and medical factors — not a failure of character. Stress, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and underlying health conditions can all play a role. The sooner we treat it as the disease it is, the sooner we can address what often follows: type 2 diabetes.

Why obese patients are at risk of diabetes

When the body carries excess fat, it can interfere with how insulin regulates blood sugar. Over time, cells become less responsive — a condition called insulin resistance — and eventually the pancreas can’t keep up, leading to type 2 diabetes.

This is why rising obesity rates are so alarming. But obesity is both preventable and manageable. What it takes is a shift in perspective — moving away from blame and toward empathy — so people can get the real medical support they need before it’s too late.

The push for change

In the Philippines, Zuellig Pharma has partnered with Philippine Diabetes Support (PDS), a patient advocacy group led by Arch Cynthia Duntz, to tackle the growing obesity and diabetes crisis. The collaboration expands an existing coalition of major medical organizations, shifting focus toward community education and stigma reduction — pushing back on the misconception that obesity and diabetes are simply lifestyle failures rather than serious, long-term medical conditions.

At the heart of the partnership are two priorities: bringing culturally-relevant health education directly to Filipino communities, and changing the narrative around metabolic disease. Obesity, the coalition stresses, is shaped by complex medical, genetic, neurological and environmental factors — not personal failure or lack of discipline.

To mark the partnership, a public forum was held featuring Dr. Elaine Cunanan of PCEDM and Dr. Luz Katigbak of PASOO, who spoke on the medical and psychological dimensions of obesity. Speakers also urged patients away from unregulated treatments, pointing instead toward medically supervised care — including newer therapies like dual GIP and GLP-1 receptor agonists.

The event closed with a shared commitment from all partners: to build a more compassionate, medically grounded healthcare ecosystem where Filipinos feel empowered to seek early intervention, long-term care and stigma-free support.

Moving forward together

Obesity and diabetes are not personal failures — they are complex, chronic diseases that demand medical attention, public understanding, and above all, compassion. As the numbers continue to rise, the need for coordinated action has never been more urgent.

Initiatives like the Zuellig Pharma and PDS partnership are a step in the right direction — bridging the gap between medical science and everyday Filipino lives. But lasting change begins with awareness. The more we understand these conditions, the better equipped we are to support those living with them — and perhaps, to prevent the next generation from facing the same battle.