Obesity is a prevalent lifestyle-related disorder and a major contributor to the global burden of non-communicable diseases, with well-established associations with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, and impaired quality of life. Rapid urbanization, sedentary behavior, unhealthy dietary patterns, and psychosocial stress are recognized as key lifestyle determinants underlying its increasing prevalence. Contemporary medical science explains obesity largely through metabolic, hormonal, and inflammatory mechanisms and recommends management strategies that include dietary modification, physical activity, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery. While these interventions offer measurable clinical benefits, limitations related to long-term sustainability, treatment adherence, and adverse effects continue to challenge effective management. Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine of India, conceptualizes obesity as Sthaulya or Medoroga, resulting from the aggravation of Kapha Dosha, impairment of Agni (digestive fire), accumulation of Ama (metabolic toxins), and persistent lifestyle errors. Ayurvedic management emphasizes individualized dietary regulation, lifestyle modification, detoxification therapies (Panchakarma), herbal formulations, and mind–body practices aimed at restoring systemic balance rather than focusing solely on weight reduction. This review critically examines obesity as a lifestyle disorder by integrating Ayurvedic concepts with contemporary medical perspectives. Classical Ayurvedic texts and modern scientific literature were analyzed to identify areas of convergence and divergence in the understanding and management of obesity. The review suggests that an integrative, lifestyle-centred approach combining evidence-based modern interventions with Ayurvedic principles may provide a more comprehensive and sustainable strategy for obesity management, while highlighting the need for further high-quality clinical research and standardization of Ayurvedic practices.
Keywords: Obesity, Lifestyle disorder, Ayurveda, Sthaulya, Lifestyle modification, Integrative medicine, Preventive healthcare.
How to cite this article: Sharma N, Understanding Obesity as a Lifestyle Disorder: Perspectives from Ayurveda and Contemporary Medicine. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(4s): 788-794; DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.4s.91
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