Office-based management of obesity

Abstract

Appropriate recognition and management of obesity is imperative given the fact that one-third of Americans are clinically obese. Up to 25% of patients with a body mass index ≥ 30 are not appropriately identified by primary care physicians as being obese. An even smaller portion of recognized patients is offered any form of weight-loss treatment. This may be the result of approximately 40% of physicians possessing negative attitudes toward such patients given the challenges in managing this population. In the near future, physicians will be empowered with further knowledge regarding metabolic and neurologic adaptations that make weight loss so difficult. Along with this new information will come novel treatment options. It is predicted that many of the barriers preventing appropriate management of obesity will diminish as further knowledge and treatment options become available. © 2010 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.