contrary to what many might think, maintaining a healthy weight is far more complicated than eating less and exercising more, she stresses. another challenge is that people tend to blame themselves for the issue.
a recent obesity canada study shows that 74% of people living with obesity think the management of their condition is their sole responsibility. “they don’t believe doctors have any responsibility, but the reality is there are a lot of things they can do,” dr. terenzi says.
available treatments fall into three categories, she explains. the first is combining dieting and exercising with cognitive behavioral therapy. “the therapy helps patients deal with the ‘knee jerk’ desires for food, and retrains their way of thinking.”
another option is pharmaceuticals in the form of medications that, when combined with a reduced calorie diet & increased physical activity can either help block the absorption of fat or regulate appetite and/or food intake.
bariatric surgery is a third alternative for that may be considered for severely obese patients when behavioral therapy is not sufficient.
it’s also important to understand that there is no one treatment that fits all people, she notes. “treatments can be different for every patient. for some, only diet and exercise will work, for others, a prescription may be added to help get them on track. in extreme cases surgery may be the answer.”