New Guidelines Suggest The Best Medication For Obesity

Obesity is a complex health disease which involves an excessive amount of body fat. It's a medical problem that increases the risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and certain kind of cancers. The go-to treatment of obesity is a healthy lifestyle and following lifestyle interventions.

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) recently analysed the current pharmaceutical therapies for obesity and came up with  fresh guidelines on how to effectively treat and manage the condition. The guidelines appear in the journal of Gastroenterology.

The researchers focused on the various studies involving nine Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved anti-obesity medications to treat adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 27 kilograms per square meter and/or above. It was noted that, when used alongside lifestyle interventions, each of the drugs were related to a total body weight loss of between 3% and 10.8%. However, this FDA- approved anti-obesity medication should not be used by the following:

1. Pregnant women
2. Type-2 diabetes patients

Obesity is a complex disease which involves all biological, genetic, environmental, and behavioral aspects and causes. Some individuals simply have an increased inherited risk of being obese due to their genetic makeup and genetics vastly affects a person's chance to encounter obesity. There are a few individuals who live in and around an environment that contributes to their weight. These may include toxic food environment like more of junk and fast food, and low access to healthy resources.

How to take care of obesity?

The best way to treat obesity if to make lifestyle changes. Eat a healthy, reduced-calorie yet balanced diet with regular exercise or any type of physical activity. Weight loss management seeking health professional such as help from dietitian or joining a local weight loss group is also a fine alternative.