By Mary Clymer, SWHR Public Affairs Intern
Obesity is a chronic disease that occurs when there is an increase in the size and amount of fat cells in the body. Obesity represents a pressing public health crisis, given its likelihood to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver diseases, and other comorbidities. While obesity affects men and women, obesity can uniquely impact women.
On July 22, 2025, the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) hosted “Policy Pathways to Addressing Obesity Disparities in Women,” a congressional briefing providing an overview of the obesity landscape in the United States. During the discussion, a panel of experts shared insights into obesity and women’s health as well as policy solutions to tackle obesity while simultaneously supporting the administration’s efforts to address chronic disease prevention.
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (D-FL), a champion for women living with obesity, opened the event by sharing her passion for addressing the obesity epidemic through policy. Representative Cherfilus-McCormick shared that the issue is personal to her, telling attendees about her own journey of living with obesity, which motivated her to get the necessary education around obesity’s disproportionate effect on women, and to become an advocate for health care equity and obesity treatment interventions.
In early July, Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick and Congresswoman Lois Frankel (D-FL), along with 10 House Democrats, sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz, MD, MBA, urging him to protect and preserve Medicare and Medicaid access to anti-obesity medications. Referencing obesity, Congresswoman Cherfilus-McCormick strongly asserted that “the work will never be done until we come to the place of health care equity” during the event.
Lydia Alexander, MD, DiplABOM, DiplABLM, MFOMA, Immediate Past President of the Obesity Medicine Association and Chief Medical Officer of Enara Health, then provided an overview of the obesity landscape. She highlighted that obesity increases the risk of four cancers unique to women (breast, uterine, ovarian, and cervical cancer) as well as cardiometabolic conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The burden of obesity on women’s health in relation to the development of chronic conditions and hormonal vulnerabilities is prevalent, and Dr. Alexander highlighted the importance of treating “the roots, not the fruits” of obesity. This means treating the underlying cause of obesity, not just the comorbidities. Dr. Alexander closed by addressing the policy gaps in the treatment of obesity, advocating for Medicare coverage of medications and lifestyle-based obesity care. She provided hope for the audience in sharing that obesity is treatable with key policy changes, equal access to care, and an understanding of sex differences in treatment for obesity.
Connecting vision impairment and obesity, Sara Brown, MPA, Senior Director of Government Affairs at Prevent Blindness, shared the importance of treating obesity to prevent vision loss. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing various eye conditions, including glaucoma, cataract, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy. Brown noted that diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in adults, and living with obesity is a risk factor for developing diabetes. Therefore, preventing and/or treating obesity can prevent complications from diabetes from occurring, including vision loss and blindness. While acknowledging barriers to treatment and prevention, Sara Brown encouraged the importance of caring for eye health to promote early detection and intervention.
Next, Senior Director of Healthy Aging at the National Council on Aging Dorothea K. Vafiadis, MS, spoke about advancing policy solutions for older adults living with obesity. She shared that more than 11,000 people turn 65 everyday, which increases the demand on Medicare and long-term care for chronic conditions, like obesity. In addressing the issue of older adults lacking access to comprehensive treatments due to policy barriers, Vafiadis advocated for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), a bill that expands Medicare coverage of intensive behavioral therapy, a therapeutic program for obesity that targets changing a person’s eating and exercise habits, as well as coverage for anti-obesity medications under Medicare Part D. Despite challenges in the obesity space, Vafiadis reminded the audience of The Obesity Bill of Rights, which are eight essential rights of Americans to be diagnosed, counseled, and treated for obesity according to medical guidelines.
SWHR President and CEO Kathryn Schubert, MPP, CAE, closed the briefing and prompted the panel to reflect on specific challenges women face when living with obesity. The panel brought up stigma and societal expectations for women, insurance coverage, access to appropriate treatments, and gender disparities in health care. In discussing these challenges, a common theme was that treatment requires a tailored, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary approach.
SWHR remains committed to improving obesity outcomes in women, including addressing the state of science, health care disparities, and policy barriers surrounding this disease.
For more information or to view additional resources, visit SWHR’s Obesity page.