Key Points For Clinicians Managing Obese Patients
| Manage obesity as a chronic relapsing disease. |
| Use BMI as a tool to establish a diagnosis in obese patients and to decide on treatment. |
| Modest weight loss (10% reduction in total body weight) results in improvement or prevention of hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. |
| Effective treatments exist for overweight and obese patients. Diet and exercise combined provide the best results. Use sibutramine with caution pending FDA review. |
| Counsel patients to achieve a goal of 10% reduction in total body weight (500 to 800 kcal/day decrease to affect 1- to 2-lb weight loss/week) rather than attain an ideal body weight |
| Counsel patients to exercise to achieve increased energy expenditure rather than to attain aerobic fitness. |
| Consider referral to a behavioral program to leverage your office counseling. |
| Serve as advocates for social policies that promote good nutrition and increased physical activity. |
BMI, body mass index.