How Is Obesity Treated?
Three factors are considered when treating obesity: the severity of the obesity, the presence of other risk factors for heart disease, and the possibility of other health problems that may be caused or made worse by excess weight. Doctors now realize that it may be unrealistic to attempt to get a person who is obese to lose a large amount of weight and keep it off. However, recent studies have shown that even modest weight loss provides significant health benefits by reducing the risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and other diseases. Everyone who is trying to lose weight should change his or her eating and exercise habits. Counseling or support groups are an important part of successfully making these lifestyle changes. Doctors recommend that depression or a physical problem that limits a person’s ability to exercise be treated, if possible, before starting a weight-loss program. People with untreated depression often have a difficult time staying on a weigh
