The treatment of obesity

Obesity is a chronic disease, so it requires long-term management. Reducing the risk for developing health problems is as important as losing weight.

The best way to combat overweight and obesity is to prevent it. A preventive approach, rather than an approach that targets weight management only after disease-specific consequences have become established, offers the opportunity for restoration of a healthy weight before these consequences become entrenched.

Given the complexity of obesity as a condition and the variety of possible complications, a generic programme is not appropriate for weight loss. A weight loss treatment plan must include the components of nutrition, exercise and behaviour change. Our current environment makes it easy to overeat and forgo exercise, but a few small changes in diet and lifestyle can go a long way. 

The management of obesity requires a team approach whereby registered dietitians, physicians, nurses, psychologists, exercise physiologists and pharmacists need to work collaboratively.

Dietary treatment is fundamental to the treatment and management of obesity, but unless the obese person is willing and able to make long-term changes in lifestyle, treatment will fail. Most people know that fad diets do not last.

When exercising becomes habitual and assessing food from a health perspective becomes automatic, lasting change will occur.

Other treatments

Weight-loss medications are used to treat obesity in some cases, but they should only be used in conjunction with a healthy weight-loss diet and regular exercise. Medication without lifestyle changes is unlikely to have long-term success.

Surgery is rarely used to treat obesity. It is usually only considered when weight loss with other treatments have been unsuccessful or there is a high risk of developing other health problems due to excess weight.

In conclusion

Despite the high awareness about the importance of diet, obesity and overweight are increasing. Dietary adjustment is seen as an important part of a healthy lifestyle, while regular physical activity throughout life will provide general health benefits as well as help prevent and manage overweight and obesity.

(Reworked from article by Discovery)