The weight loss process can be a daunting journey for many Americans who are looking to lose excess weight. Many overweight or obese patients feel shame regarding their weight and don’t know where to begin. Many doctors don’t know how to address problems relating to weight either, making the process of losing weight with medical assistance very difficult for some.
Only 56% of physicians feel qualified to treat obesity with only 46% feeling successful in their ability to do so. Many doctors are never trained in obesity management and so they make recommendations, but are often unsure of how people can actually go about losing the weight they desire. A big problem regarding physicians and obesity management is the shame that befalls overweight patients. 21% of overweight patients feel judged by their primary care doctor and reported they didn’t trust their advice. Many doctors make the recommendation to improve diet and exercise more, but for many patients this doesn’t make the pounds shed off like they expect and it leads to lots of doctor switching.
If doctors were more willing to prescribe weight loss medication, there could be an increase of patients who are seeing the results they desire. There are many safe and effective medications for weight loss, but only about 24% of doctors prescribe them. With medications like semaglutide, patients lost nearly 15% of their body weight after 68 weeks compared to only 2.4% with diet and exercise.
A new holistic way of weight loss is necessary to bring control back to overweight patients who feel like they can’t shed the weight. The introduction of weight loss medications and health coaching to aid in better diet and exercise habits can help patients lose weight while also learning how to keep the weight off in a healthy way. Learn more about new holistic approaches to weight loss in the infographic below:
