Questions and Answers

When it comes to weight loss and weight management, lifestyle changes like healthy eating and increased physical activity are important for everyone. But when lifestyle changes are not enough, there are multiple options, including prescription medicines, that could help you reach your long-term goals. Read More

Your nervous system, which includes the brain, constantly receives signals about your appetite from hormones that come from different parts of your body, like the stomach, intestines, and fat tissue. Both the brain and these appetite hormones contribute to what, why, and how much you eat. Read More

Excess weight isn’t just a cosmetic issue; in fact, excess weight can have an impact on your health. Losing 5%-15% of your total weight can improve some weight-related conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and osteoarthritis. Talk with your health care provider to start your own weight-management […] Read More

Weight management means focusing on achieving a healthier weight and maintaining it, avoiding weight regain over time. There are several options to consider when it comes to weight management, and what works for someone else might not work for you. To create your own weight-management plan, talk to your health care provider about how you […] Read More

Weight loss surgery is not for everyone. Doctors generally recommend it only for people who: Have a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or more — about 100 pounds overweight for men and 80 for women; Have a lower BMI (35 to 40), but also have serious health problems related to obesity such as heart […] Read More

Low-carbohydrate diets have become popular in the past few decades, with the Atkins diet being the most popular. The Atkins diet is a high-protein and/or high-fat, a very-low-carbohydrate diet that induces ketosis. The very ̶ low-carbohydrate content is critical in inducing short-term weight loss in the first 2-4 weeks; this is largely the result of […] Read More

Diets with different macronutrient compositions involve a caloric intake of greater than 1200 kcal/day. This type of diet is designed to reduce the caloric intake by 500-1000 kcal/day from the patient’s current dietary intake. The proposed composition used by the best-validated dietary programs is as follows: Protein intake of 0.8-1.5 g/kg of body weight (not […] Read More

Very–low-calorie diets (VLCDs) are best used in an established, comprehensive program. VLCDs involve reducing caloric intake to 800 kcal/day or less. When used in optimal settings, they can achieve a weight loss of 1.5-2.5 kg/wk (3.3-5.5 lb/wk), with a total loss of as much as 20 kg over 12 weeks. No good-quality evidence suggests that […] Read More

Low-calorie diets involve reducing daily caloric intake by 500-1000 kcal/day, to a level of 800-1800 kcal/day. These diets are associated with a mean weight loss of 0.4-0.5 kg per week (1-2 lb/wk). In ideal settings, the total loss can be 5-10% of starting weight (10-20 lb for a 200-lb person) over 3-6 months, occasionally higher […] Read More

Although obesity in itself is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, massive, poorly monitored weight loss and/or weight cycling can have equally dire consequences. Among the important potential complications to watch out for in the setting of weight loss are the following: Cardiac arrhythmias; Electrolyte derangements – Hypokalemia is the most important of these; Hyperuricemia; […] Read More