Large-scale weight gain is not an overnight occurrence. Both overweight (BMI=25 to 29.9) and obesity (BMI>30) are the cumulative outcomes of a chronic but often gradual weight increase.1 Progressive and modest weight loss (5%-10% of initial body weight) are the hallmarks of enduring healthy diet programs for obese patients.2
Some weight loss drugs work by suppressing or affecting an individual’s appetite, but this only temporarily halts overeating. Additionally, most appetite suppressants are CNS-active compounds with deleterious effects, such as hypertension and increased heart rate.1 Healthy hunger is not a factor in chronic obesity; rather, obesity more often results from confusing the desire to eat with a nutritional need to eat.
Patients must therefore learn about their appetite, understand the difference between actual hunger and a desire to eat, and sustain a weight loss program with a solid nutritional foundation.
Gradual modest weight loss eModule
The following audio visual presentation provides additional information about overweight and obesity and the impact of gradual modest weight loss.
Diet and exercise
By maintaining a reduced-calorie, high-fiber, low-fat diet, patients are more likely to lose excess weight. It is recommended that a healthy diet should contain no more than 30% of calories from fat per meal.1
Exercise is recommended not only to help create the caloric deficit needed to lose weight, but also to begin improving the overall health of the patient.1 Ultimately the benefits of a healthier diet and a gradual increase in exercise become symbiotic, creating more lean muscle mass and stronger bones.
References
- National Institutes of Health. The practical guide: identification, evaluation and treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/prctgd_c.pdf. Accessed November 8, 2006.
- National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Guide to behavior change: your weight is as important to us as it is to you. Available at: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/obesity/lose_wt/behavior.htm. Accessed December 20, 2006.