Lose Weight and Keep it Off, Should We Modify Our Messages?
April 3rd 2010 12:07
As you review recent literature you will find that the minimal weight loss will result in significant health improvement in long term trials, THE THING IS I don''t observe the same pattern in the real practice. I also talk with my colleagues and my patients in daily bases and listen to just how hard this challenge is.
It is True, the literature demonstrates that for people who are overweight, have pre-diabetes or early onset type 2 diabetes, the clinical and economic benefits of weight loss can be numerous from improved blood glucose to delayed onset of type 2 and reduction in related medications. But, the literature is also accumulating about how hard it is to keep those pounds off and why.
Weight Loss: What to Expect?
There are many long term weight management studies, in people who are overweight. ALL are concluding that maximum weight loss is seen at six months to one year, year with some weight regain shortly thereafter. On a positive note, the weight regain appears to settle in below the starting weight.
These studies Showed that there are few people who is likely to be most successful.
* People who attend more of the support sessions and education.
* People who lose the most weight through a reduction of calories and fat grams.
* People who engage in regular physical activity.
But the most important fact that all these studies show that behavior changes make an average 20-30% difference according to very good studies and at least 60-70% is genetic. That is why even those who have the best of efforts in those many studies, don't lose more than they do. That does not mean that I tell do not to worry about weight, but adopting a healthy life style and abandon the sedentary life matter most .
all health care professionals need to stop focusing on the weight and start focusing on behavior and realize that you can not tell by the scale how hard someone is trying. Why then is it increasing? Everyone is more insulin resistant due to societal changes, some are just more effected by it than others due to their "thrifty"genes that we are identifying more and more.
YES as Doctors we DO need to change what we tell patients.
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