title: A clinician's approach to medical management of obesity.
abstract: Obesity is pandemic in the modern world and continues to increase at an alarming rate, with great human and economic consequences. While bariatric surgery has been gaining popularity and acceptance as an effective way to achieve massive weight loss, it remains an option only for the extremely obese. For the millions of overweight and moderately obese individuals, the cornerstone of obesity treatment remains lifestyle and behavioral modifications in diet and physical activity. It is especially important for both primary care providers and subspecialists to be familiar with currently recommended approaches to the medical treatment of obesity, as it is critical that this extremely common, treatable chronic disease be recognized, intervention initiated, and therapy maintained at every appropriate clinical opportunity. Significant medical benefits can be gained even with a relatively small percentage of weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi 39216, USA. alow@medecine.umsmed.edu
authors.forename: Annette K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Marshall J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bouldin
authors.forename: Caryl D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Sumrall
authors.forename: Fleetwood V
authors.initials: FV
authors.lastname: Loustalot
authors.forename: Kelly K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Land
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050110:Bariatric Surgery; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet; D019468:Disease Management; D015444:Exercise; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009765:Obesity / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents