Guideline for Treating Overweight and Obesity
These guidelines help address questions like “What’s the best way to lose weight?” and “When is bariatric surgery appropriate?”. Here is what every patient should know about the treatment of overweight and obesity:
Definition of obesity: Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to the extent that it can have an adverse effect on one’s health. Obesity can be diagnosed using body mass index (BMI), a measurement of height and weight, as well as waist circumference. Obesity is categorized as having a BMI of 30 or greater. Abdominal obesity is defined as having a waist circumference greater than 40 inches for a man or 35 inches for a woman.
Benefits of weight loss: Obesity increases risk for serious conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and death, but losing just a little bit of weight can result in significant health benefits. For an adult who is obese, losing just 3–5% of body weight can improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduce risk for heart disease and diabetes. Ideally, doctors recommend 5–10% weight loss for obese adults, which can produce even greater health benefits.
Bariatric Surgery: Bariatric surgery is be a good option for obese patients to reduce their risk of health complications and improve overall health.