Obesity Essay, Research Paper

Medical Management for Obesity is an article that talks about Obesity, its causes, and some ways to combat it. According to the author, obesity is a heavy burden on the American society. It is one of the leading causes of health related deaths in the United States. It also generates high social costs as well as financial costs for the obese people themselves and society in general. Approximately, 30 billion dollars is spent annually on weight loss remedies in the United States. Treatments of obesity and health problems related to it account for 5 to 7 percent of the annual total health care costs in America. Obesity is defined in this article as a body mass index greater than 30, which is a ratio of weight to height square. About 97 million adults in this country fit this definition, representing 31.1 percent of men and 34.7 percent of women. Obesity is caused by several factors including excessive energy intake ( too much food), insufficient energy output (lack of exercise), and genetic predisposition. The ideal treatment of obesity, just like any weight loss treatment, is proper diet, exercising, and adopting a more active life style. The objective of this treatment is, obviously, to reduce the caloric intake of the obese person and at the same time increase his or her caloric output. This treatment is very efficient in most of the cases, however, its success requires some dedication and patience. The results may take time to be noticed especially if the person has a body mass index exceeds 33 or 34. In these instances, there is a possibility of aiding the weight loss process by pharmacologic treatments. These treatments should be left as a last remedy, and should always be as a supplement to the changed diet and exercise habits.

Different drugs are available on the market for the medical management of obesity. They can be classified by their mechanism of action: drugs that reduce energy intake, and drugs that increase energy expenditure. Although some of these medications show some promise, no long-term outcome studies have assessed their effect on overall morbidity and mortality. In addition, most drugs have side effects, and those that don t are scarce and very expensive.