Obesity refers to the condition of having an excess amount of body fat. Adults with a BMI or body mass index (formula based on height and weight) of 30 or higher are considered to be obese, according to the Mayo Clinic. Obesity can lead to a number of chronic, potentially life-threatening medical conditions that may be reversed with moderate weight loss. There are many treatments available for obesity, including lifestyle and behavior modification, medication and surgery.
Lifestyle and Behavior Modification
The introduction of a healthy diet and regular exercise can help those who are obese lose weight and improve their health. Increasing intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and eating larger portions of nutrient-rich, low-calorie foods can put you on a path to losing weight steadily over a period of time. Meal replacements or liquid diets should only be used on the advice of your physician as they may offer rapid--but not permanent--weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends small lifestyle changes (walking or biking instead of driving, taking regular breaks to walk and move around) to increase physical activity each day. For moderate weight loss, they recommend 150 to 250 minutes per week of moderate to intense physical activity (or more than 250 minutes per week for clinically significant weight loss).
Behavior modification programs that help you set goals, track your progress and confront barriers to your progress might also prove helpful. Counseling, support groups or sessions with a nutritionist or personal trainer can be a part of a comprehensive plan to assist you with your lifestyle changes.
Prescription Medication
Those with a BMI greater than 27, those who have complications due to their obesity (diabetes, high blood pressure) or those for whom other weight loss methods have failed to work may benefit from prescription medications, according to the Mayo Clinic. Approved by the FDA for weight loss, sibutramine alters chemicals in the brain to make you feel full more quickly. By reducing hunger, this medication is known to help people lose 5 to 10 percent of their starting body weight after 1 year. Also FDA-approved, orlistat has also been shown to produce a 5- to 10-percent weight loss after 1 year, aiding weight loss by blocking the absorption and digestion of fat in the stomach and intestines. A reduced strength over-the-counter version of orlistat is also available. Sibutramine and orlistat are intended to be used in addition to--but not as a substitute for--diet and lifestyle changes.
Weight Loss Surgery
Weight loss, or bariatric, surgery is generally only considered for those who are extremely obese (BMI of 40 or higher) or for those with BMIs between 35 and 40 who have associated weight-related health conditions, according to the Mayo Clinic. While surgery can help some people lose as much as 50 percent of their body mass, it also carries significant risks, including blood clots, infection, nutritional deficiency, pneumonia, hernia or other life-threatening complications. Weight loss surgery treatment options include gastric bypass surgery (involving the creation of a small pouch at the top of the stomach which is then connected directly to the small intestine), laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) (restricts the amount of food that can pass through the stomach through the surgical use of an inflatable band that divides the stomach and creates a small channel for food to pass through) and biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch (restricts food intake through removal of most of the stomach).
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