Screening, Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Staging of Obesity in Adults: Standards of Care in Overweight and Obesity—2026

Obesity is a heterogeneous chronic disease in which excess adiposity increases the risk of morbidity and mortality. The Obesity Association, a division of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), developed comprehensive, evidence-based guidelines on screening, diagnosis, evaluation, and staging of overweight and obesity in adults. Monitoring for consistent increases in weight over time may facilitate early intervention to prevent obesity and its complications, and screening for excess adiposity should be performed at least annually using BMI. The recommended diagnostic criteria for overweight and obesity include race- and ethnicity-specific BMI thresholds supplemented with waist circumference–based measures for certain individuals to reduce the risk of underdiagnosis. Health care professionals should perform a comprehensive clinical evaluation, including risk stratification and staging, of all adults diagnosed with overweight or obesity, which will inform the management plan and follow-up care. The ADA’s Obesity Association encourages health care professionals to adopt these guidelines for evaluating obesity in adults.