The best method of treatment depends on the patient’s level of obesity, overall health condition and motivation to lose weight. Most successful weight loss efforts take a holistic approach, using a combination of diet, exercise, behavior modification and, in some cases, weight loss medications. In cases of morbid obesity, bariatric surgery may be recommended. “We must fight this disease from all angles. It takes a whole team to achieve success,” emphasizes Dr. Prashar, whose team includes a bariatrician and registered dietitians in addition to bariatric surgeons. Physicians agree that the first line of treatment is diet and exercise. “Exercise is by far the best way to lose weight and get healthy, and it can dramatically increase your life
expectancy,” says Dr. Strowhouer. “Aerobic exercise is the best for someone trying to lose weight,” he continues. “More often than not, it is better to encourage gradual movement. Compliant patients may then graduate to more strenuous exercise. “The best diet is the one that the patient can live with and that works for that individual,” says Dr. Strowhouer. “Dieting isn’t just avoiding foods that one would consider unhealthy. It is determining which foods offer benefits to the patient.” Many physicians also recommend vitamin B-12 supplements to patients. “Vitamin B-12 acts as a blood builder which provides dieting individuals with more energy. As
OBESITY PREVENTION STARTS IN CHILDHOOD Primary prevention of obesity must begin in childhood. “This is
• Find ways to make
the single most powerful public
Americans more active.
health approach to combating
Both the “Let’s Move” cam-
hood obesity as well as type 2 diabetes.” Some experts say that one of every three children born in the
and reversing America’s obesity
paign and the American Academy
year 2000 will become diabetic
epidemic over the long term,”
of Pediatrics (AAP) urge doctors
during their lifetime if nothing is
says the 2010 DGAC report.
to regularly monitor the BMI of
done to intervene. Other risks
children age two and older.
appearing with increasing fre-
embraced by First Lady Michelle
Although the AAP first recom-
quency include high cholesterol
Obama whose White House “Let’s
mended this three years ago,
levels, high blood pressure, fatty
Move” campaign to fight child-
studies have found that just 5 per- liver disease and asthma. Some
hood obesity has four key goals:
cent to 20 percent of pediatricians obese children develop orthope-
This concept has been
• Create customer-friendly food and nutrition labeling. • Find ways to make sure
are doing it. “We see overweight beginning in the second year of life,”
dic problems such as bowing of the legs and slipped capital femoral epiphysis. Parents are key to reversing
students eat healthy food
says Joseph A. Dieterle, DO ’70,
in schools.
who has been practicing pedi-
these trends, according to Dr.
atrics in Atlantic and Cape May
Dieterle. “Children need role
in America’s neighborhoods
counties, New Jersey, for 21
models who teach them to cook
and rural areas in order to
years. “And we have definitely
and eat healthy foods and get
“completely eliminate food
seen a dramatic increase in child-
exercise. It all starts at home,”
• Build better grocery options
12
deserts in this country.”
Phil aDelPhia
College
of
osteoPathiC
MeDiCine