Procedures
“We don’t call patients ‘obese,’ but instead ‘a patient with obesity’ or ‘a patient who has obesity.’ Patients tend to respond much better to more neutral language that doesn’t feel off-putting and stigmatizing.” They may also respond better to other neutral terms, such as “weight” rather than “obesity.”
Self-care
Compared with patients of normal weight, patients who are obese were more likely to be told to make lifestyle changes for their symptoms, while patients who weigh less are prescribed medication. Some doctors flat-out refuse to treat obese patients.
Nutrition
The treatment methods that are right for you depend on your obesity severity, your overall health and your willingness to participate in your weight-loss plan. Reducing calories and practicing healthier eating habits are vital to overcoming obesity.
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A 2015 study found that the stigma of obesity causes doctors to spend less time with patients and fail to refer them for diagnostic tests. Compared with patients of normal weight, patients who are obese were more likely to be told to make lifestyle changes for their symptoms, while patients who weigh less are prescribed medication.
Should we call patients with obesity ‘obese’ or ‘a patient with obesity’?
How do doctors treat obese patients?
What is the best treatment for obesity?
How does the stigma of obesity affect doctors?
What are the aggressive treatment for obesity?
While lifestyle interventions such as diet and exercise are always the first approach, they have been unsuccessful in a large number of people, leading obesity experts to call for more aggressive treatment with bariatric surgery and new weight loss medications.
What advice can you give to an obese person?
Healthy eating plan and regular physical activity. Changing your habits. Weight-management programs. Weight-loss medicines.
What is the best way to treat people with morbid obesity?
Treatment optionsrecommend an appropriate weight loss plan.work with the person to develop an exercise plan.recommend a physical therapy plan if the person has limited mobility.prescribe medication, such as orlistat (Alli), which reduces the amount of fat that the body absorbs.More items...•
What is the first line of treatment for obesity?
Metformin is therefore considered a first line drug in treating patients with type 2 diabetes and obesity. The most common side effects of metformin are nausea, flatulence, diarrhea, and bloating (103).
How do you talk to a patient about obesity?
Open the discussion about weight in a respectful and nonjudgmental way. Patients may be more open if they feel respected. Open the discussion about weight in a respectful and nonjudgmental way. Before asking patients if they wish to discuss their weight, mention the health risks associated with overweight and obesity.
How do you address obesity?
Choosing healthier foods (whole grains, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and protein sources) and beverages. Limiting unhealthy foods (refined grains and sweets, potatoes, red meat, processed meat) and beverages (sugary drinks) Increasing physical activity. Limiting television time, screen time, and other “sit time”
What role does exercise play in the prevention and treatment of obesity?
Physical activity increases people's total energy expenditure, which can help them stay in energy balance or even lose weight, as long as they don't eat more to compensate for the extra calories they burn. Physical activity decreases fat around the waist and total body fat, slowing the development of abdominal obesity.
How was obesity treated in the past?
Historical treatments for obesity Emetics including hellebore plants and honey water, were advised 'for the evacuation of the nourishment two or three times a month to all men and women'. Cathartics were composed, for example, of juice of scammony (bindweed), Cnidian berry and sea spurge.
When should drug therapy for obesity be considered?
According to current guidelines, pharmacological treatment should be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy of disease management for patients with a BMI ≥30 or ≥27 kg/m2 with an obesity-related co-morbidity, such as T2DM, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and sleep apnea.
What do you understand by obesity management?
Management of obesity can include lifestyle changes, medications, or surgery. Although many studies have sought effective interventions, there is currently no evidence-based, well defined, and efficient intervention to prevent obesity.
What top obesity doctors think you should know?
Weight and Obesity: 10 Things Doctors Want You to Know“Exercise doesn't help you lose weight.” ... “Working out can help you maintain weight loss.” ... “Weight loss drugs can make a big difference.” ... “Understanding why you overeat is key to treatment.” ... “Diets aren't one-size-fits-all.”More items...
How to treat obesity and overweight?
Healthy eating plan and regular physical activity. Following a healthy eating plan with fewer calories is often the first step in trying to treat overweight and obesity. People who are overweight or have obesity should also start regular physical activity when they begin their healthy eating plan.
How does a weight management program work?
In a weight-management program, trained weight-management specialists will design a broad plan just for you and help you carry out your plan. Plans include a lower-calorie diet, increased physical activity, and ways to help you change your habits and stick with them. You may work with the specialists on-site (that is, face-to-face) in individual or group sessions. The specialists may contact you regularly by telephone or internet to help support your plan. Devices such as smartphones, pedometers, and accelerometers may help you track how well you are sticking with your plan.
What is alternate day fasting?
Alternate-day fasting is one type of intermittent fasting that consists of a “fast day” (eating no calories to one-fourth of caloric needs) alternating with a “fed day,” or a day of unrestricted eating. Researchers have conducted only a few studies of intermittent fasting as a strategy for weight loss.
How does bariatric surgery help you lose weight?
Bariatric surgery includes several types of operations that help you lose weight by making changes to your digestive system. Bariatric surgery may be an option if you have extreme obesity and haven’t been able to lose enough weight to improve your health or keep from gaining back the weight you lost with other treatments. Bariatric surgery also may be an option at lower levels of obesity if you have serious health problems, such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnea, related to obesity. Bariatric surgery can improve many of the medical conditions linked to obesity, especially type 2 diabetes.
How to get back to eating healthy after a setback?
After a setback, like overeating at a family or workplace gathering, try to regroup and focus on getting back to your healthy eating plan as soon as you can. Try to eat only when you’re sitting at your dining room or kitchen table.
How to keep track of your weight?
At work, avoid areas where treats may be available. Track your progress using online food or physical activity trackers, such as the Body Weight Planner, that can help you keep track of the foods you eat, your physical activity, and your weight.
What are weight loss devices?
Weight-loss devices include. Electrical stimulation system. The electrical stimulation system uses a device a surgeon places in your abdomen with laparoscopic surgery.
How to treat obesity?
Increased physical activity or exercise is an essential part of obesity treatment. Most people who are able to maintain their weight loss for more than a year get regular exercise, even simply walking.
What is the goal of obesity treatment?
The goal of obesity treatment is to reach and stay at a healthy weight. This improves your overall health and lowers your risk of developing complications related to obesity. You may need to work with a team of health professionals — including a dietitian, behavioral counselor or an obesity specialist — to help you understand and make changes in your eating and activity habits.
What is the best way to talk to your doctor about weight?
Talking to your doctor openly and honestly about your weight concerns is one of the best things you can do for your health. In some cases, you may be referred to an obesity specialist — if one is available in your area. You may also be referred to a behavioral counselor, dietitian or nutrition specialist.
What are some ways to reduce weight?
Mind-body therapies — such as acupuncture, mindfulness meditation and yoga — may complement other obesity treatments. However, these therapies generally haven't been well studied in the treatment of weight loss. Talk to your doctor if you're interested in adding a mind-body therapy to your treatment.
How to get weight loss?
To achieve more-significant weight loss, you may need to exercise 300 minutes or more a week.
What is the BMI of a person who has had weight loss surgery?
Weight-loss surgery for obesity may be considered if you have tried other methods to lose weight that haven't worked and: You have extreme obesity ( BMI of 40 or higher) Your BMI is 35 to 39.9, and you also have a serious weight-related health problem, such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
How much weight can I lose with BMI?
That means that if you weigh 200 pounds (91 kg) and have obesity by BMI standards, you would need to lose only about 10 to 20 pounds (4.5 to 9 kg) for your health to begin to improve.
What is the process of assessing an obese patient?
The process begins with an assessment of the obese patient for safety before entering an exercise program. The accepted amounts, type, and progression of exercise for healthy individuals are reviewed and are then discussed more specifically for obese patients.
What is weight loss?
Weight loss is a process that includes a reduction of caloric dietary intake and an increase in physical activity-related caloric output. This article will review some established guidelines concerning exercise treatment of obesity.
What should exercise candidates be screened for?
Exercise candidates should be screened by history and physical examination for comorbid diseases, musculoskeletal disorders, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. This maximizes patient safety and allows appropriate modification of the exercise program based on specific needs.
What is the goal of exercise prescription?
The objectives of an exercise prescription to treat obesity, in decreasing order of priority, are prevention of additional weight gain, reduction of body weight, and long-term maintenance of reduced body weight.9Body weight normalization is too aggressive a target, and slow steady gains over time are more appropriate.
Is exercise a predictor of long term weight management?
Maintenance of exercise is a predictor of long-term weight management and of prevention of regain.1Exercise training is more effective in reducing body weight in moderate obesity than it is in morbid obesity.7. An exercise prescription for obese individuals follows the same framework of mode, intensity, duration, and frequency already described.
Does resistance training help with weight loss?
Obese persons may benefit from a resistance training program, which improves muscular strength and favorably affects functional tasks. Resistance training may also stimulate an increase in fat free mass. However, resistance training does not seem to affect energy expenditure or absolute weight loss.1,2,5,9.
Does obesity have negative effects on health?
Obesity clearly has negative health implications that are well documented in consensus literature. Likewise, correction of body weight reduces the incidence and severity of comorbid diseases. A key aspect to this end is a significant amount of physical activity that is appropriately supervised and quantified.
Why do doctors spend less time with patients?
A 2015 study found that the stigma of obesity causes doctors to spend less time with patients and fail to refer them for diagnostic tests. Compared with patients of normal weight, patients who are obese were more likely to be told to make lifestyle changes for their symptoms, while patients who weigh less are prescribed medication.
Who is Kimberly Gudzune?
Weight bias needs to be addressed, agreed Kimberly Gudzune , M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who studies the impact of obesity on the patient-physician relationship. This kind of media attention can "help raise physicians' awareness of the problem.".
Can obese people save on eye exams?
You can save on eye exams, prescription drugs, hearing aids and more. Here are some do's and don'ts for obese patients on how to talk to their medical professionals: Do be prepared. Just as you visit the doctor armed with a list of your medications, know the history of your medical problem. Don't go it alone.
What are the most common medical problems in obese patients?
One of the most frequent medical problems in obese patients is arthritis of the hip or knee. It is so common, in fact, that most patients arriving at orthopedists’ offices in agonizing pain from hip or knee arthritis are obese.
Why should heavy patients be counseled to lose weight?
The group concluded that heavy patients should first be counseled to lose weight because a lower weight reduces stress on the joints and can alleviate pain without surgery. But there should not be blanket refusals to operate on fat people, the committee wrote.
Why are doctors and hospitals risk averse?
What is behind the refusals to operate, he said, is that doctors and hospitals have become risk-averse because they fear their ratings will fall if too many patients have complications.
Can succinylcholine be based on body weight?
But succinylcholine doses should be based on total body weight, he determined, and the dosing of anesthetic gases is not significantly affected by obesity.
Do doctors spend less time with obese patients?
Research has shown that doctors may spend less time with obese patients and fail to refer them for diagnostic tests. One study asked 122 primary care doctors affiliated with one of three hospitals within the Texas Medical Center in Houston about their attitudes toward obese patients. The doctors “reported that seeing patients was a greater waste ...
Does obesity cause cancer?
In cancer, for example, obese patients tend to have worse outcomes and a higher risk of death — a difference that holds for every type of cancer. The disease of obesity might exacerbate cancer, said Dr. Clifford Hudis, the chief executive officer of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. But, he added, another reason for poor outcomes in obese ...
Healthy Eating Plan and Regular Physical Activity
Changing Your Habits
Weight-Management Programs
Weight-Loss Medicines
Specialist to consult
Weight-Loss Devices
Bariatric Surgery
- Changing your eating and physical activity habits and lifestyle is difficult, but with a plan, effort, regular support, and patience, you may be able to lose weight and improve your health. The following tips may help you think about ways to lose weight, engage in regular physical activity, and improve health over the long-term. 1. Be prepared for setbacks—they are normal. After a set…
Special Diets
- Some people benefit from a formal weight-management program. In a weight-management program, trained weight-management specialists will design a broad plan just for you and help you carry out your plan. Plans include a lower-calorie diet, increased physical activity, and ways to help you change your habits and stick with them. You may work with the specialists on-site (tha…
Diagnosis
- When healthy eating and physical activity habits are not enough, your doctor may prescribe medicines to treat overweight and obesity. You should try to stick with your healthy eating plan and continue getting regular physical activity while taking weight-loss medicines. You may see ads for herbal remedies and dietary supplements NIH external linkthat claim to help you lose we…
Treatment
- Your doctor may consider weight-loss devices External linkif you haven’t been able to lose weight or keep from gaining back any weight you lost with other treatments. Because weight-loss devices have only recently been approved, researchers do not have long-term data on their safety and effectiveness. Weight-loss devices include 1. Electrical stimulation system. The electrical stimul…
Clinical Trials
- Bariatric surgery includes several types of operations that help you lose weight by making changes to your digestive system. Bariatric surgery may be an option if you have extreme obesity and haven’t been able to lose enough weight to improve your health or keep from gaining back the weight you lost with other treatments. Bariatric surgery also may be an option at lower levels of …
Lifestyle and Home Remedies
- Calorie-restricted diets
Your doctor may recommend a lower-calorie diet such as 1,200 to 1,500 calories a day for women and 1,500 to 1,800 calories a day for men. The calorie level depends on your body weight and physical activity level. A lower calorie diet with a variety of healthy foods will give you the nutrien… - Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is another way of reducing food intake that is gaining attention as a strategy for weight loss and health benefits. Alternate-day fasting is one type of intermittent fasting that consists of a “fast day” (eating no calories to one-fourth of caloric needs) alternating with a “fed …
Alternative Medicine
Coping and Support
Preparing For Your Appointment