Obesity Medication

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• Facts on Obesity Medication
• What Are the Health Risks of Obesity?
• What Is the Treatment of Obesity?
• How Can Medication Help You Lose Weight?
• What Are the Risks and Benefits of Weight-Loss Medications?
• What Medications Are Used in the Treatment of Obesity?
• What Obesity Medications Should I Avoid?

• Obesity means accumulation of excess body fat. Obesity is considered a chronic (long-term) disease, similar to high blood pressure or diabetes.
• As such, it usually requires long-term treatment to successfully lose weight and keep it off.
• Obesity has many serious long-term consequences for your health, and it is the second leading cause of preventable deaths in the United States. (Tobacco is the first).
• Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and in other developed countries.
• Two-thirds of Americans are overweight. Nearly one-third are obese. Obesity is on the rise in our society because food is abundant and physical activity is typically an option rather than linked to our daily activities and jobs.

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. Body mass index is easily calculated from your weight and height (see body mass index calculator). What does BMI mean?

• Generally, a BMI of 18.5 to 25 is considered healthy.
• A BMI of 25 to 30 is considered overweight.
• A BMI of 30 to 40 is considered obese.
• A BMI of 40 and over is considered morbidly (severely) obese.

The health problems associated with obesity may contribute to poor quality of life, disability, and even premature death. Your body mass index is a good predictor of whether you will develop obesity-related health problems, such as the following:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Stroke
• Osteoarthritis
• Gallstones
• Lung disease and sleep apnea
• Breast cancer
• Colon (large bowel) cancer
• Endometrial (lining of the uterus) cancer
• Esophageal (throat) cancer
• Renal (kidney) cancer
• Depression

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