AACE In the news

December 2, 2025 | MedCentral

New AACE Adiposity-Based Chronic Disease Algorithm Redefines Obesity Assessment and Care

AACE released a new consensus update to its Adiposity Based Chronic Disease (ABCD) Algorithm, enhancing the 2016 guidance with a stronger focus on complication centric, person centered care. Rather than prioritizing weight loss alone, the update emphasizes improving overall health outcomes and recognizing obesity as a chronic disease shaped by adiposity, associated complications, and underlying pathophysiology. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, notes that the ABCD framework offers a practical, patient-centered method for diagnosing and treating obesity by focusing on health impact rather than weight alone. AACE member and guideline co-author Timothy Garvey, MD, MACE, highlights key updates including 11 clinical algorithms, greater emphasis on waist-to-height ratio, weight-reduction targets correlated to clinical improvement, and the integration of psychosocial and social determinants of health into individualized treatment plans. The consensus also reinforces the need for lifelong obesity management and treatment intensity based on disease stage and complication severity. Learn more by reading the full article on MedCentral.

October 28, 2025 | Pharmaceutical Technology

GLP-1RA Microdosing Trend Continues Despite “Anecdotal Evidence”

Found Health has become the latest telehealth company to offer a microdosing program with weight loss jabs, despite an absence of peer-reviewed scientific evidence that shows microdosing GLP-1RA drugs is effective or safe. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, emphasized that AACE does not support the routine use of microdosing GLP-1RA medications in clinical care and recommends adherence to FDA-approved dosing guidelines for these agents. Learn more in the full article on Pharmaceutical Technology.

October 30, 2025 | Health Monitor

When Weight Bias Intersects With Ageism

According to the CDC, obesity affects roughly two in five Americans aged 60 and older, putting this population at greater risk for cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and a decreased quality of life. In the article When Weight Bias Intersects With Ageism (page 17), Scott Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, President of AACE, explains how misconceptions about aging and obesity can lead to undertreatment. He emphasizes that obesity is a medical condition at any age and clinicians should address weight bias and ageism to ensure inclusive, patient-centered care for older adults.

October 7, 2025 | NPR News

Patients Turn to ‘Gray Market’ for Cheaper Obesity Drugs, but It’s Risky

An NPR report explores how some patients are turning to the gray market to buy raw ingredients for obesity medications as a cheaper alternative to prescription drugs. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, warns about the risks of getting contaminated or counterfeit products, including infections, dosing errors, and lack of effectiveness.

October 6, 2025 | Medscape

When ‘Diet’ Foods Sabotage Weight Loss: A Physician’s Guide to Patient Education

Many patients striving for weight loss turn to products marketed as “diet products” or labeled as healthy alternatives, but these options can often do more harm than good. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains how ultraprocessed foods can undermine healthy weight management. Learn more by reading the full article on MedScape.

October 2, 2025 | Firstpost

Weight Loss Drugs: Should You Take Them or Not?

Indian regulators have approved weight loss drug Ozempic for use in the Indian market. The move comes amid a raging craze around such medicines, billed as a "miracle" by some. How do weight loss drugs work? Who should be taking them? What are the risks? AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, discusses these with Firstpost's Prathik S Vinod.

September 23, 2025 | DocWireNews

GLP-1 Therapies and Cancer Prevention: Metabolic Dysfunction as the Key Determinant

A recent JAMA Oncology study shows that GLP-1 medications (liraglutide, semaglutide, tirzepatide) may reduce cancer risk in adults with obesity by 17%. The greatest reductions were seen in endometrial, ovarian, and meningioma cancers. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains that these findings highlight the role of metabolic dysfunction, particularly MASLD, as a key driver of cancer risk. Therapies like semaglutide have already demonstrated efficacy in reversing MASLD/MASH, establishing their role as foundational treatments in the evolving landscape of metabolic medicine.

September 20, 2025 | Men's Fitness

Daily GLP-1 Pills Could Reshape Weight Loss

Drugmakers are racing to bring once-daily GLP-1 weight-loss pills to market, potentially offering a more convenient alternative to weekly injections. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, notes that having another option to switch to may be appealing for many patients. Learn more by reading the article on Men's Health.

September 18, 2025 | The Wall Street Journal

The Promise and Hurdles of the New Weight-Loss Pills

An intriguing new option is emerging for weight-loss treatment: a once-daily pill instead of weekly injections. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explained that many patients have tried other agents that either didn’t work or caused side effects, and having another option to switch to will be appealing for a lot of people. Learn more in the full article from The Wall Street Journal.

September 3, 2025 | Medscape

An Overlooked Connection: How Diabetes Can Contribute to Knee Pain and What to Do About It

Knee pain is a common but often overlooked symptom in individuals with diabetes. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains that while many patients and clinicians focus on classic complications such as neuropathy or numbness in the feet, diabetes can also affect the joints, including the knees. He recommends routinely screening for musculoskeletal symptoms during diabetes appointments. By taking a complications-centric approach that includes early recognition, patient education, lifestyle modification, and multidisciplinary care, we can better support patients in addressing knee pain related to diabetes. Learn more by reading the full article on Medscape.

September 2, 2025 | MedCentral

GLP-1RA Drugs Show Cancer-Protective Potential in Obesity

A new JAMA Oncology study found that Individuals with obesity taking glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) demonstrated 17% lower cancer risk compared to non-users. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explained that the findings suggest GLP-1 medications may be associated with decreased cancer risk in people with obesity, while noting that observational data show association rather than causation and that longer-term studies in high-risk MASLD patients are needed. He added that GLP-1RA medications may represent a comprehensive therapeutic approach in metabolic medicine, treating multiple diseases simultaneously. Learn more by reading the full article on MedCentral.

August 25, 2025 | Healthline

Serena Williams Lost 31 Pounds on GLP-1 Drug Zepbound: What to Know

Serena Williams is opening up about her weight loss journey with GLP-1 medication Zepbound, helping to change the conversation around obesity care. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains that obesity is a disease and GLP-1 medications are effective therapies that work best when combined with healthy habits and ongoing medical supervision. Learn more by reading the full article on Healthline.

August 19, 2025 | Everyday Health

People With Weight-Related Chronic Liver Disease Have a New Treatment Option

The FDA has expanded Wegovy use to include adults with metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and moderate to severe fibrosis, or scarring in the liver. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explained that semaglutide acts on the brain’s appetite regulation center to decrease appetite and reduce cravings, leading to significant, sustained weight loss that in turn improves insulin sensitivity, decreases liver fat, and can reverse the inflammation and cellular injury in MASH. Learn more by reading the full article on Everyday Health.

August 18, 2025 | Everyday Health

What Is ‘Cortisol Belly’? How Stress Leads to Abdominal Fat — and How to Reduce It

“Cortisol belly” is a popular, nonmedical term used on social media to describe excess belly fat. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains that it is not a medical term used by physicians and that abdominal fat is more accurately referred to as visceral fat. While chronic stress and elevated cortisol may play a role, many other factors contribute to fat around the midsection, including diet, sleep, activity, hormones, and certain medical conditions. Learn more by reading the full article on Everyday Health.

August 18, 2025 | Healio

FDA Approves Wegovy for Certain Adults With Noncirrhotic MASH

The FDA has approved Wegovy for the treatment of adults with noncirrhotic metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) with moderate to advanced liver fibrosis. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, noted this major advancement highlights the urgency of expanding screening and implementing multidisciplinary care, as MASH remains highly prevalent and often underdiagnosed, particularly in people with diabetes and other cardiometabolic risk factors. Read the full article on Healio.

August 12, 2025 | Yahoo Health

Is it Menopause or a Thyroid Problem?

Thyroid disorders and menopause can share many overlapping midlife symptoms, often described as “nonspecific,” making it difficult to determine the underlying cause. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains the importance of careful evaluation to distinguish between the two, cautioning against overdiagnosis and unnecessary thyroid medication. Learn more by reading the full article on Yahoo Health.

July 15, 2025 | Med Central

Tirzepatide Shown to Tackle Hypogonadism

Tirzepatide (TZP) was associated with improved metabolic parameters and gonadal hormone levels in male patients with obesity and metabolic hypogonadism, according to findings of an Italian pilot study presented at ENDO 2025. AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, noted the findings reinforce that weight loss can effectively reverse obesity-associated hypogonadism and that the hormonal improvements are primarily a result of weight reduction. He added that whether tirzepatide has direct effects on testosterone independent of weight loss remains unknown, and that longer-term data are needed. Learn more by reading the article on MedCentral.

July 8, 2025 | The Wall Street Journal

My Digestive Tract Flunked a Health Test. Here’s How I’m Coping.

In this Wall Street Journal feature, AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, offers expert insight into the growing use of personalized nutrition tools like microbiome tests and continuous glucose monitors. He cautions that while CGMs are critical for managing diabetes, healthy individuals should not overinterpret normal blood sugar fluctuations.

June 30, 2025 | MedCentral

Proactive Thyroid Eye Disease Management: Early Signs, Risk-Based Screening, and Interdisciplinary Care

Emerging screening methods may support earlier diagnosis and intervention in thyroid eye disease (TED) care. In a recent MedCentral article, AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, explains the vital role of endocrinologists in initiating risk-based screening at the time of Graves’ disease diagnosis and the importance of interdisciplinary care with ophthalmology to improve patient outcomes.

June 24, 2025 | Global Think-Tank on Steatotic Liver Disease

Global Think-Tank on Steatotic Liver Disease 2025 Meeting

On June 5–6, the Global Think-tank on Steatotic Liver Disease convened a multidisciplinary group of 125 participants in Barcelona, including clinicians, patient advocates, public health experts, and industry representatives, to connect science, policy, care, and people in advancing global recognition of steatotic liver disease (SLD). AACE President Scott D. Isaacs, MD, FACP, FACE, a key author of the Think-tank’s recent Lancet policy publication, joined experts in calling for integrated, person-centered strategies to address MASLD and MASH through multidisciplinary collaboration.