Addressing Obesity... A Resolution for Life
Your New Year's resolution to lose weight can be about more than just looks. It can be a lifesaver. Obesity is a major health problem in the United States, with more than one in every three people suffering from this chronic disease. It can play a role in high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain and deterioration, shortness of breath, sleep disorders, cancer and other serious diseases. It can also result in skyrocketing healthcare costs. Morbidly obese patients have been shown to have a significant reduction in life expectancy.
Many people seem to be in denial about what defines obesity. The first step is to know your body mass index (BMI).
Mission Hospital offers three distinct programs for weight management - individual nutrition therapy, the Healthy Weight program and the Optifast® medically monitored weight loss program. Surgical options include gastric bypass and lap banding.
"It's more than just about losing weight," says Lesley Edwards, a dietitian and the clinical coordinator of weight management programs at Mission. "Research shows us that there is a direct correlation between weight loss and the lowering of medications.
"Typically, after losing 10 percent of their weight, participants in our programs find they are able to immediately lower the amount of medication they take for diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol. People start to feel better fast when they see these kinds of changes."
"And the ones who come in because they want to be healthier rather than for cosmetic reasons are more motivated and do better," Edwards adds. "It's one thing to look better, but health...that's the big stuff."
Learn more about Mission's Weight Management Program.
