If you are eating a
healthy diet and exercising, and are STILL not able to lose weight or are
gaining, it may not be your fault. According to current estimates, at
least 25% of adults and 1 in 8 children have "metabolic syndrome".
Overeating and inactivity are the main culprits.
Metabolic syndrome is caused by the body's inability to use insulin
efficiently, and the hallmark of the condition is an excess of abdominal fat.
Patients also have two or more related conditions, including high blood
pressure, low levels of good cholesterol, high levels of fats called
triglycerides, and high blood sugar. Many have diabetes already, or will have it
in their future.
A recent report by one
of the country's largest prescription benefits managers, Medco Health Solutions,
found that metabolic syndrome accounts for $4 of every $10 spent on prescription
drugs for adults.
The syndrome was once
called Syndrome X and was first recognized about 40 years ago. But, the term
"metabolic syndrome" was not widely used until the past decade. The first
international symposium on the syndrome was held in April 2005 in Berlin.
New guidelines from
the International Diabetes Federation are being reviewed by health agencies
worldwide to standardize the criteria for diagnosing the condition and to help
family doctors to spot the syndrome and begin treatment early.
Many people have minor
(or major) medical conditions, and can still take part in a weight loss program,
if supervised closely. However, the staff, even if it is a nurse or doctor on
staff at a weight loss company, may not detect metabolic syndrome. It's probably
advisable to get some tests done by your family physician first, to determine if
you have it. Then, think about using a medically supervised weight loss program.
Obviously, a rapid weight loss diet, fad diet or celebrity of the month diet may
not be the best choice here. A do-it-yourself diet plan may not be appropriate
also.
Of the 19,300+ people
completing an extensive
BestDietForMe.com survey between January 1 and March 30, 2005, a
significant number indicated that they have one or multiple medical conditions.
High blood pressure is the leading condition, experienced by 13% of our survey
takers, followed by migraines at 6.9%, thyroid disease and asthma at 6.0%.
Diabetes and irritable bowel syndrome came in at just under 4%, and heart
disease by 1%.
T
raditionally,
doctors have not had the time to counsel their patients in depth about losing
weight. And, the psychological/emotional issues related to obesity, which are
crucial, are not usually handled by busy MDs. Will doctors, increasingly
squeezed by managed care and growing caseloads under HMOs, have the time to spot
metabolic syndrome? That remains to be seen. However, it might not be a bad idea
to ask your physician to do some tests if you suspect it, in
BestDietForMe.com's opinion.
BestDietForMe.com does NOT provide medical advice. You should
always consult your physician first, before beginning any weight loss regimen.
The
Medibase plan is geared to
registered dietitians, in conjunction with
MDs. Advanced Healthcare also claimed that it
was one of the few companies other than
OPTIFAST® (Novartis Nutrition) that
conducted serious research that is published. They perform substantial research
with
Type II diabetics.
Bariatricians... One main advantage for overweight persons to see a
bariatrician, instead of a commercial
program, is that obese persons may have other medical problems they don't
know exist (i.e.
diabetes), which are discovered by
the
bariatrician. More extensive medical
monitoring, long-term support, alternative medication therapies, and partial
reimbursement by medical insurance are other advantages.
Registered Dietitians...
RDs often see clients that need dietary help with heart
disease,
diabetes, high blood pressure and a
variety of other medical conditions. Most
RDs work with medical
doctors and because of this they are able to provide their clients with
prescription medicine if they and the doctor feel it is necessary.
Some physicians have
developed their own programs, based on nutritional counseling,
possibly in conjunction with a local registered dietitian or nutritionist, or a
local health club or fitness center. Still others have obtained training and
certification to practice bariatrics, whereby they may use a VLCD (very low
calorie diet) and/or prescription drugs to suppress the appetite.
Based on our ongoing
research and interviews with the large pharmaceutical firms, the American
Society of Bariatric Physicians, the AMA, American Hospital Association,
individual hospitals, and other sources, BestDietForMe.com
analysts conservatively estimate that of the roughly 668,000 active physicians
in the U.S., only about 5.6% are
substantially involved in offering some form of weight loss
program to their patients—or about 38,000. Most family practitioners are just
not involved in weight loss, and medical school training does NOT include topics
such as nutrition and obesity. MDs as a group are still not focused on obesity
as a sub-specialty.
According to a year
2000 survey by the Centers for Disease Control, only 11.7% of consumers surveyed
reported that a doctor, nurse or other health care professional had given them
advice about losing weight.
Some Helpful
Medical Resources
- WebMd
- drkoop.com
- American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org)
- National Institutes of Health (ww.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus)
