Obesity is a common problem, yet it can be a very complex disorder, and the concerns are far more than merely cosmetic. Excess body fat increases your risk of health problems and diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
People who are extremely obese are more likely to have health problems related to weight. Obesity treatment is essential to help protect or improve overall health and quality of life. Even losing a modest amount of weight can improve health and may help to prevent the health problems associated with being overweight.
Increased physical activity and dietary changes can help to lose excess pounds. However, behavioral changes are also necessary and can help to modify an unhealthy relationship with food. Other options include weight loss surgery and prescription medications.
How Is Obesity Measured?
The standard way to diagnose obesity is by calculating your body mass index (BMI), calculated by dividing your weight by your height squared. There are plenty of online calculators that will do this for you.
A BMI of 30 or more falls within the obese range. People with a BMI of 40 or higher fall within the morbidly obese range. Your BMI is a reasonable estimate of body fat, but it is only an estimate and cannot directly measure body fat percentage. Some people, especially very muscular athletes, can have a BMI in the obese category even though their body fat is low.
What Causes Obesity?
Obesity typically occurs when you consume more calories than your body uses during normal daily activities. Your body stores the excess calories as fat. However, sometimes there can be hormonal or genetic reasons for obesity, or it can stem from a medical cause like Cushing’s syndrome or Prader- Willi syndrome.
Other factors that increase the risk of obesity include your family’s lifestyle habits, as it frequently runs in families because of shared eating and behavioral activities.
Certain medications can lead to weight gain and include:
- Anti-depressants
- Diabetes medications
- Steroids
- Beta-blockers
- Anti-seizure medications.
Age can increase the likelihood of weight gain, but obesity can affect anyone at any age, even children.
”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★An amazing experience every time I go! I was seen at my appointment time, and it only lasted 20 minutes. The staff is so hospitable, it is refreshing. Highly recommend Manhattan Specialty Care!
Diagnosing Obesity
If you are overweight, a consultation with our internist NYC can determine the reason, and we can work with you to devise a suitable treatment plan. Typically, a consultation begins with reviewing your medical history in detail and a physical exam.
The doctor will want to discuss your efforts to lose weight previously, your eating patterns, and your exercise habits. Our local general practitioner or internal medicine doctor may also want to know about your stress levels. We will review your family’s history to see If you have a predisposition to weight gain. We will check your heart rate and blood pressure during your general exam and listen to your heart and lungs. Calculating your BMI will determine your level of obesity, and this is a test that you should undergo at least once a year.
Your BMI also helps us determine your overall health risk and decide which treatment is most appropriate. Another test we may use is measuring your waist. The fat stored around your waist is sometimes called visceral fat and can increase your risk of serious diseases, including heart disease and diabetes. There are specific tests that can measure your body fat percentage more accurately and which might be appropriate.
In addition to your physical exam, local general practitioners or internal medicine doctors in NYC may recommend blood tests, including a cholesterol test, a fasting glucose test, and liver function tests.
It’s also possible our New York internists may recommend specific heart tests such as an electrocardiogram.
Obesity Treatment in NYC
Once your local general practitioner or internal medicine doctor has gathered all this information, we can determine how much weight you should lose and identify any health risks already present. This evaluation will help decide the best obesity treatment.
Treatment aims to help you reach and stay at a healthy weight. Our best doctors in NY may collaborate closely with other health professionals, including behavior counselors and dieticians. Working with other health professionals can help you understand the reasons for your weight gain and make the necessary changes to your eating and activity habits. Counseling can be beneficial in understanding why you make specific food choices, how food cravings are triggered, and how to cope with them.
Dietary changes and introducing healthier eating habits are essential to overcoming obesity. Generally, a slow and steady weight loss is considered the safest and most effective way to lose weight and maintain your weight loss permanently. Our general practitioner or internal medicine doctor will work with you to determine which type of diet will be most effective for your needs and which will be realistic to follow in the longer term.
Medications and Surgery for Obesity Treatment
There are certain situations where prescription medications may be appropriate, for example, if other weight loss methods haven’t worked for you and if you have medical complications caused by obesity. In some cases, weight loss surgery, called bariatric surgery, might be an option. Our doctors can evaluate the family history, eating habits, and activity level. Other potential tests include a cholesterol and blood sugar test and tests to check for hormone imbalances and vitamin D deficiency.
Please make an appointment with one of our obesity specialists in Midtown Manhattan or Upper East Side. Our primary care doctors and internal medicine specialists look forward to meeting you!
Manhattan Primary Care Locations: Manhattan Primary Care (Upper East Side) 983 Park Ave, Ste 1D22, New York 10028
(212) 389-9929 Manhattan Primary Care (Midtown) 56 W 45th St, Ste 808, New York, NY 10036
(212) 389-1887 Manhattan Primary Care (Union Square) 55 W 17th St, Ste 105, New York 10011
(212) 378-9987
