Ready to Lose
Weight in the New Year? Experts Offer Guidance
for Adults and Children
By Carolyn M.
Clancy, M.D.
January 6, 2009
After too many
holiday treats and too little exercise, it’s no
wonder many of us have made resolutions to take
better care of ourselves in the new year.
A few extra pounds can be lost as the holiday
season winds down and we get back to our regular
schedule. But for people who are either
overweight or obese, getting to a healthy
weight--and staying there--requires major
lifestyle changes. For some, it may even involve
surgery.
Being overweight
is defined as having a body mass index, or BMI,
of between 25 and 29. Individuals with a BMI of
30 or more are considered obese. This
tool will help you calculate your BMI.
Obesity is more common in women, and being
overweight is more typical in men.
Being at an
unhealthy weight affects more people each year.
Obesity among adults has doubled in the last 25
years. Today, two out of three adults are
considered to be overweight, and about 27
percent of Americans age 20 or older are obese,
recent government data show. Even more
troubling, about one in five children in the
United States is overweight, according to
government data.
Being obese or
overweight puts you at higher risk for serious
chronic or medical conditions, according to the
U.S. Surgeon General and others. Obesity
increases your risk for heart disease, high
blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and several
types of cancer. Obesity also is linked to high
rates of gall bladder disease and joint
problems, like arthritis of the knee.
The good news is
that dropping a modest amount of weight can make
you feel better and improve your health. Losing
between 5 and 7 percent of your body weight can
reduce your blood pressure, lower the risk of
diabetes, and improve cholesterol levels.
In recent years,
a number of obese individuals have turned to
surgery as a way to help them achieve a healthy
weight. Known collectively as bariatric surgery,
the number of these procedures has skyrocketed
in the past decade. Young and middle-aged
individuals accounted for the vast majority (85
percent) of the 121,000 surgeries performed in
2004. Patients who underwent surgical treatment
for obesity were also more likely to improve
their health compared with those who did not
choose surgery. These findings come from a
report by my agency, the Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).
Undergoing
surgery to produce major weight loss is a big
decision?and one that you should make carefully.
In particular, it’s important to choose a
surgeon and a hospital that can show they’ve had
good outcomes in these types of procedures. Ask
for this information and details on the risks
involved before you have surgery.
When it comes to
your weight and your health, what guidance
should you expect from your doctor?
One
blue-ribbon task force has evaluated
evidence that shows that intensive counseling on
diet and exercise can help obese people change
their behavior. This can produce modest weight
loss for a year or more. Outcomes, such as
lowered blood pressure, show that this approach
offers real health benefits.
Based on this
evidence, the
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force
recommends that primary care doctors offer
intensive counseling to obese adults. The Task
Force is a panel of experts that reviews medical
evidence to find out which tests and medicines
have been proven to work to help prevent health
problems or detect them early so they can be
treated effectively.
Intensive
counseling and skill building can also help
obese children and teens lose weight or prevent
additional weight gain, a
new AHRQ report found. Children and teens
who took part in these programs, which typically
met once or twice a week for up to a year,
weighed between 3 and 23 pounds less than those
who did not participate. Successful programs
included tips on improving diets and increasing
physical activity and taught skills, such as
goal setting and problem solving.
Regardless of
your age, there are good, evidence-based
approaches to help you lose weight and keep it
off. The first step is for you to talk to your
doctor. A discussion about the best approach for
you can get you on a path to better health for
the coming year and beyond.
I’m Dr. Carolyn
Clancy, and that’s my advice on how to navigate
the health care system.
More Information
U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services,
healthfinder.gov
Body Mass Index: Adult
http://www.healthfinder.gov/HealthTools/Calculators.aspx/
National
Center for Health Statistics, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity Among
Adults: United States, 2003-2004
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_adult_03.htm
National
Center for Health Statistics, Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention
Prevalence of Overweight Among Children and
Adolescents: United States, 2003-2004
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/overweight/overwght_child_03.htm
Office of
Surgeon General, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services
The Surgeon General’s Call to Action to
Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/obesity/
Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality
Obesity Surgeries Have Jumped Dramatically
Since 1998
http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2007/obesjumppr.htm
Agency
for Healthcare Research and Quality
Behavioral Modification Programs Help Obese
Children Manage Their Weight
http://www.ahrq.gov/news/press/pr2008/chweightpr.htm
U.S.
Preventive Services Task Force
Screening and Interventions to Prevent
Obesity in Adults
http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsobes.htm
Current as of January 2009
Internet Citation:
Ready to Lose Weight in the New Year?
Experts Offer Guidance for Adults and Children.
Navigating the Health Care System: Advice
Columns from Dr. Carolyn Clancy, January 6,
2009. Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality, Rockville, MD. http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/cc/cc010609.htm
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