Summary: Obesity is a common disease with a complex etiology, contributing to many serious complications, including increased cardiovascular risk. The percentage of overweight and obese people is constantly growing; 90% of obesity cases are primary, resulting from an incorrect energy balance caused by incorrect diet and insufficient physical activity. BMI and the American Society of Endocrinology criteria can help clinicians in obesity diagnosis. People with obesity have increased cardiovascular risk, increased risk of cancer development, gastroenterological and endocrine disorders and mood disorders. That is why it is so important to reduce body weight and thus the risks associated with obesity. The basis of therapy is lifestyle modification, including changes of eating habits and physical activity. The second step is pharmacological treatment; three drugs are currently registered in Europe: bupropion/naltrexone, liraglutide and orlistat. The most effective and, at the same time, the most invasive treatment is bariatric surgery, which also allows for the treatment of complications related to obesity. The paper discusses non-pharmacological and pharmacological methods that a primary care physician may propose to an obese patient.