Let's Treat Obesity Seriously

Patients who are obese walk into physician offices every day; according to one study, approximately 33% of US adults are obese and 66% are overweight. Overweight or obesity is their primary medical complaint, or it is present in addition to another health problem. Here, Bray comments on the article by Rao discussing obesity management. He advises that if the problem is too many calories, then the preventive strategies should focus on ways to reduce calories acutely for weight loss and chronically to slow relapse. Increased physical activity, diets lower in fat, and regular weigh-ins are important in helping patients who lose weight to maintain that loss. Thus, he points out that there is reason for family physicians to treat obesity as a serious condition and counsel patients who are overweight and obese on how to achieve weight loss through reduced consumption of sugar-sweetened soft beverages, use of meal replacements and portion control, increased physical activity, pharmacotherapy, and even behavioral therapy, when indicated.