Obesity kills millions every year, yet drug companies and doctors have mainly focused on treating diseases caused by excess pounds, such as diabetes, rather than waistlines themselves.
One reason for that is the stigma that comes with the condition: Many in the medical field still see excess weight as a lifestyle condition that should be addressed solely through healthier eating and exercise. A much bigger problem, though, has been the dearth of safe and effective drugs. That has left the gigantic business of weight loss mostly in the hands of dietitians, calorie-counting apps, trainers and creators of fad diets.