In last month’s first instalment on managing obesity, we explored the physiology and the role of fat, looking at its function within the body, whilst also observing current obesity trends and statistics from across the globe. It has been suggested that even modest reductions in weight may be associated with health benefits, with reductions in blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides achievable with just a 5-10% reduction in initial body weight.1 Therefore, as healthcare professionals, it is our role to aid our patients in the understanding, management and treatment of obesity.
A wide range of interventions are available for the management of weight and obesity. These include work/school/community programmes (for primary prevention), dietary modification, exercise programmes, behaviour modification programmes, pharmacological agents, commercial programmes (e.g. Weight Watchers) and…
