|Articles|April 16, 2003

Helping middle-aged patients lose weight

Providing patients with the basic information they need to lose weight may not be as challenging as performing an intricate surgical procedure. But the clinical results can be just as rewarding.

 

MID-LIFE OBESITY

Helping middle-aged patients lose weight

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Choose article section... How weight and body fat distribution change in mid-life Obesity's physical, emotional, and social consequences Assessing risks, setting goals, choosing treatment options Choosing the right therapeutic approach Summing up the treatment options Key points

By Michael Hamilton, MD, and Jennifer Lovejoy, PhD

Providing patients with the basic information they need to reduce their caloric intake and increase activity levels may not be as challenging as doing a complex diagnostic work-up or performing an intricate surgical procedure. But the clinical results can be just as rewarding.

Weight gain and its effect on health have become major public health concerns in the United States—and a personal obsession for many Americans. As testimony to the severity of this national epidemic, the American Cancer Society recently launched its "Great American Weigh In" campaign to make the public aware of just how much of a risk factor obesity is in the pathogenesis of cancer. By ACS estimates, one third of cancer deaths could be prevented each year through healthier diets, more active lifestyles, and maintenance of proper weight. Many other national health-related organizations have issued similar warnings, linking weight to a long list of chronic disorders.

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