The Obesity Epedemic

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that we still have a serious obesity problem in America and although our general awareness of the problem is on the rise, many adults continue the struggle to find ways to lose excess weight and keep it off for the long term.

Over 1/3 of U.S. adults are obese and by 2030 that number is expected to exceed 40%. Cases of severe obesity are expected to double in that same time frame meaning that over 10% of the adult population will be more than 100 pounds overweight.

Half of severely obese adults were obese as children. Knowing that about 17% of the nation’s children and teens are obese continues to raise concerns. Obesity contributes to half of the leading causes of death including heart disease, stroke, diabetes and some cancers.

Today we are spending almost 10% of our nation’s yearly healthcare dollars on obesity related treatments. This does not include the money spent privately on the many weight loss programs in the marketplace.

There are so many weight loss programs and marketing messages out there that it is easy for people to get confused over what is best for them. Many try programs that are touted to be quick and simple. Although various levels of success may be achieved, many of them put the weight back on very quickly after the weight loss program has ended.

In our medically supervised weight loss program the patient receives a plan that has been designed specifically for them based on their metabolism and other medical test results. On weekly visits patients will not only meet with their medical practitioner, but will also meet with a counselor, nutritionist and personal trainer to ensure that they are maintaining a balanced approach throughout their program.

Our goal from the very first day in the program is bring success through education and behavioral changes that will become a permanent part of each patient’s lifestyle. Once favorable habits around food and exercise are adopted, patients begin making the kind of progress that will stay with them forever. Ongoing relationships with our patients allow them to stay connected to a medical staff that provides the support, encouragement and continuous education needed for long term success.