Weight loss is an issue for many, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic as 42% of American adults unintentionally gained weight. However, not many doctors know how to properly talk about weight loss with their patients as only around 50% of doctors in North America learned about managing obesity.
Losing even 5% of your body weight positively impacts your health. Nonetheless, several overweight patients have trouble staying with their primary care doctor or going to appointments due to many doctors holding strong negative opinions about people with obesity to the point that overweight patients feel judged or are told off-putting comments or unsolicited weight advice.
This causes the patients to not trust their doctor’s advice or switch doctors repeatedly which leads to them having an 85% higher possibility of ending up needing emergency help compared to normal-weight patients. 55% of patients with obesity have even reported not going to an appointment because they fear getting weighed.
There are several safe weight-loss medications being sold that are better than dieting and exercising alone, but only around 3% of eligible patients are being prescribed weight-loss medications by their doctors, making the weight-loss process more difficult. The impact of weight issues on one’s health adds another obstacle to the weight-loss journey. At least 80% of people with mental health illnesses that affect sociability, anxiety, and impulsivity have weight problems. People with obesity have also shown slower metabolism that makes it practically impossible to lose weight and keep it off, leading to a mortality rate three times greater than the population as a whole.
Depression can be associated with weight issues as well and cause physical symptoms such as aches and pains, trouble sleeping, and changes in appetite. In fact, half of adults with a history of binge eating have also experienced depression. However, for some people, eating and being overweight helps soothe feelings of depression and anxiety.
Weight loss is more complicated than what it first appears, but approaching it with a safe, clinically proven, and effective tactic can result in a plan that will help you reach your weight-loss goals.