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Obesity has emerged as one of the leading global drivers of gastrointestinal and metabolic disease, contributing substantially to the burden of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), Barrett's esophagus, pancreatitis, colorectal neoplasia, and obesity-associated malignancies. Simultaneously, the rapid expansion of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists and minimally invasive bariatric endoscopic interventions has transformed the therapeutic landscape of obesity management and increasingly positioned gastroenterologists at the intersection of obesity medicine, hepatology, therapeutic endoscopy, nutrition, and metabolic care. This narrative review evaluates the evolving role of gastroenterologists in obesity medicine and discusses the integration of pharmacologic, endoscopic, metabolic, and hepatologic approaches into modern gastrointestinal practice. A focused literature review was conducted by searching PubMed and Google Scholar, prioritizing peer-reviewed publications from 2015 to 2026, with inclusion of landmark earlier studies where relevant. Articles were selected based on clinical relevance, methodological quality, and applicability to the evolving role of gastroenterologists in metabolic care. The role of gastroenterologists is expanding beyond traditional luminal and procedural practice into longitudinal metabolic disease management. The emergence of GLP-1 receptor agonists, dual incretin therapies, and endobariatric procedures has accelerated GI involvement in obesity treatment and preventive metabolic care. In parallel, the increasing prevalence of MASLD and obesity-related gastrointestinal disorders has reinforced the importance of comprehensive obesity management strategies involving gastroenterologists within multidisciplinary care teams. Integration of obesity medicine into gastroenterology training programs and metabolic clinics may further redefine the future scope of GI practice. Modern gastroenterology is undergoing a transition toward obesity-focused and metabolic care. As pharmacologic and endoscopic obesity therapies continue to evolve, gastroenterologists are uniquely positioned to play a central role in the multidisciplinary management of obesity-associated gastrointestinal disease.
Alali et al. (Sun,) studied this question.