Embargoed for release until 5:00 p.m. ET on Monday 24 August 2026
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Below please find summaries of new articles that will be published in the next issue of Annals of Internal Medicine . The summaries are not intended to substitute for the full articles as a source of information. This information is under strict embargo and by taking it into possession, media representatives are committing to the terms of the embargo not only on their own behalf, but also on behalf of the organization they represent.
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Updated VA/DoD obesity guideline supports personalized care and continued use of effective weight loss medications
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-00676
Summary for Patients: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-00676-PS
URL goes live when the embargo lifts
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (VA/DoD) updated their obesity management guideline in 2025 to reflect advances in obesity assessment and treatments. The guideline emphasizes assessing health risks beyond body mass index (BMI) alone, using comprehensive lifestyle intervention as the foundation of care, and flexibly integrating medications, including GLP-1 therapies, as well as endoscopic and surgical options when appropriate. A synopsis of the guideline highlighting key updates relevant to primary care physicians is published in Annals of Internal Medicine .
The VA/DoD Evidence-Based Practice Work Group convened a multidisciplinary panel of clinical stakeholders to review evidence published between 1 April 2019 through 6 January 2025 and evaluate the benefits, risks, patient preferences, and practical considerations of obesity management and treatment. The guideline recommends routine obesity screening using BMI alongside waist circumference and clinical context, supports comprehensive lifestyle intervention as the cornerstone of care, and encourages timely, individualized use of medications and endoscopic and surgical procedures when needed. The authors conclude that obesity should be treated as a chronic disease requiring longitudinal, flexible care pathways that improve access to treatment and support sustained health benefits over time.
Media contacts: For an embargoed PDF, please contact Gabby Macrina at gmacrina@acponline.org. To contact corresponding author James Sall, PhD please email james.sall@va.gov.
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Also in this issue:
Artificial Intelligence and the Risk of Self-fulfilling Prophecies
David M. Maslove, MD, MS
Ideas and Opinions
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-02011
Health Inequities Training Threatened by Revised Liaison Committee on Medical Education Standards
Iman Hassan, MD, MS; and Ariana Thompson-Lastad, PhD
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-01654
Peer-Unreviewed: When the Thread Replaces the Paper
Samer Al Hadidi, MD, MS
Abstract: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-26-01754
Annals of Internal Medicine
News article
People
Adult Overweight and Obesity Management: Updates From the 2025 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines
25-Aug-2026