Journal of Obesity & Eating Disorders

OBESITY MANAGEMENT: A MULTIFACETED APPROACH

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a worldwide epidemic that has proven difficult to treat. In the United States, over 70% of Americans are considered overweight. Using a multifaceted psychosocial approach appears to have higher impact than traditional obesity management in combating obesity rates and decreasing dependence on medication for chronic morbidities due to obesity.
OBJECTIVES: In this Prospective Observational Study we aimed to employ specific multifaceted approaches to decreasing weight in overweight individuals and follow their progress.
METHODS: This was an observational case series study that is ongoing. Our primary endpoint was to employ different methods, including lifestyle questionnaire, body composition analysis, dietary journaling, nutritional consultation, physical therapy evaluation, blood specimen analysis and motivational coaching, by various professionals including physicians, nutritionists, physical trainers and therapists and life coaches. Our goal here was to see if using this multifaceted approach actually increased weight management compliance.
RESULTS: One thousand one hundred patients were included. Average overweight in pounds was measured by our body. Body Composition machine, and was 35 pounds. Targeting the patients’ objective by trying to change lifestyle incrementally, using a nutritionist for consultation and interpreting lab results, and close follow-up resulted in an average weight loss of 30 pounds over a one-and-a-half year period. (on-going study). Every single patient lost some weight. One hundred patients stopped their hypertensive medications, and another forty stopped their high cholesterol medications. This was an unexpected finding of our study. Of those that lost weight, 90% have kept the weight off. We lost fifty-eight patients to follow up. 98% of patients reported feeling better and having more energy. 85% reported increase in life appreciation and enjoyment.
CONCLUSION: Using different approaches within different disciplines and careful follow up appear to increase self-information awareness and better compliance which then leads to losing weight. It appears as well, that this approach, would improve health outcomes and prolong and encourage a more healthy lifestyle, as a number of our patients that were once hypertensive and hypercholesterolemic, no longer carried that diagnosis. Larger, comparative studies need to be performed before this multifaceted approach can be routinely and largely employed.

Author(s):

Orlando Gonzalez

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