As an obesity medicine physician, I have been on a mission to train health care professionals about providing obesity care in their practices.
Most recently, I spoke at the American Society for Preventive Cardiology Congress where the room was packed with colleagues wanting to learn about new obesity care treatments.
The timing was perfect as we are at a crossroads where we need more providers skilled in helping their patients manage overweight and obesity within their busy clinical practices.
That is one of the reasons I have written a new book titled, Patient-Centered Weight Management: The Six Factor Professional Program and Toolkit, which will be published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in the first quarter, 2025.
Through this book, we hope to fill the gap to help more health care providers with varied backgrounds become skilled in providing effective and efficient patient centered weight management care.
If you’re a patient looking for help managing weight, what are some steps you can start taking?
1-Find a Trusting Partner
Since obesity care requires a team approach, connecting with your primary care provider (PCP) is always a good place to start.
This may include your Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, Ob/Gyn, or Preventive Cardiology physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner.
Even registered dietitian nutritionists may be able to refer you to a qualified provider, that may include an Obesity Medicine physician specialist.
If you’re wondering if you’re a candidate for one of the new anti-obesity medications, know that PCPs are becoming more comfortable prescribing these for their patients.
2-Commit to Improving your Health
As you look toward better managing your weight, you also want to think about how weight loss is benefiting you, beyond just having a smaller waist or clothes size.
Here’s the bottom line – you will achieve maximum health benefits when anti-obesity medications are combined with a healthy lifestyle.
Health benefits may include increased vitality, improved self-esteem, taking less medications for high blood pressure or diabetes, improved metabolic and heart health, less joint pain or stiffness and a better mood.
If you want to improve your health behaviors for both weight loss and improved health, check out my latest consumer book, Six Factors to Fit: Weight Loss that Works for You!
3- Understand How Anti-Obesity Medications Impact Your Health Behaviors
As you’re considering whether or not to go on an anti-obesity medication, know that these medications will affect your health behaviors moving forward.
For most people, they make it easier to follow healthier dietary patterns while also improving one’s relationship with food.
Many patients say they have less “food noise” which means they think less about food and are more satisfied consuming smaller portions.
Because the increased weight loss can also cause muscle loss, more emphasis needs to be put on both aerobic exercise and resistance training to preserve muscle mass.
As more health care professionals become skilled in providing patient centered weight management, patients will gain better access to the provision of evidence-based obesity care.
RK
Robert Kushner, MD
