KU Leuven researchers develop new tool to assess obesity severity
Researchers at KU Leuven have developed a new tool to assess obesity based on physical, mental and functional health, offering patients and healthcare providers a broader foundation for personalised treatment. The university announced the development on Wednesday to mark World Obesity Day.
Obesity is rarely a standalone condition. "It's a complex chronic disease that comes with other health risks," explains Bart Van der Schueren of University Hospitals Leuven. "An overweight patient can also develop cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes or psychological problems."
Limits of existing systems
Existing medical tools often fail to capture this full picture, the research team says. "Current medical tools often don't map all conditions related to obesity. This makes it difficult to know what the best treatment is for each patient," states Van der Schueren. "Our system takes into account every aspect of the body: mental health, quality of life, and how a patient behaves in daily life."
The new system builds on the 2011 Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS), which categorises obesity into four stages. However, the Leuven researchers identified a key limitation: the potential for subjectivity. A patient’s score can be influenced by the healthcare provider's perception or by how the patient assesses their own well-being.
For instance, someone with severe mental health problems could be classified as having severe obesity, even if their physical health risks are relatively low, potentially leading to inappropriate treatment.
Objective assessment
"That's why validated scores and patient-reported outcomes have been included within each domain to prevent subjectivity," says Van der Schueren. He cites the integration of a cardiovascular risk score, developed in collaboration with the European Society of Cardiology and based on several large European populations, as an example.
"If someone is very dissatisfied with their weight, they can achieve a very high score on the EOSS, even with a relatively low BMI and without any real health risk," adds researcher Sofia Pazmino.
To address these shortcomings, the team developed the Belgian Obesity Staging System (BOSS), which provides a more objective, multidimensional assessment. Rather than producing a single overall severity score, BOSS identifies which domain (physical, mental or functional) is driving a patient’s condition.
From the outset, the tool was developed with input from both healthcare professionals and people living with obesity. A panel of specialists, general practitioners, dietitians, psychologists and patient representatives jointly determined which health factors should be monitored. "Thanks to this collaboration, the tool reflects both the reality in the hospital and the patient's experience," says Van der Schueren.
BOSS is primarily intended for use in primary care, providing general practitioners and allied health professionals with a standardised, objective method to assess patients, identify high-risk complications and determine the most appropriate next step in treatment.
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