Obesity
Beyond Ozempic: Why one size doesn’t fit all in weight loss
I grew up in Birmingham, Alabama, which is generally associated with a diet of all fried food. Prior to medical school, I thought many adults around me would eventually succumb to a diagnosis of hypertension and diabetes since they didn’t appear to think either was a big deal. However, my medical education quickly revealed that these co-morbidities were not merely inconveniences but were linked to some of the leading causes …
Hope, healing, and challenges in eating disorder recovery [PODCAST]
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Join Jillian Rigert, an oral medicine specialist and radiation oncology research fellow. In this episode, we delve into the world of eating disorders, drawing from Jillian’s unique perspective as both a patient and a health care professional. …
The body positivity movement: Has it become toxic?
Delving into the topic of the body positivity movement requires the unpacking of many other issues facing society today. This topic cannot be looked at in a vacuum.
We live in an era where diversity and inclusion have become core values in many aspects of American life, and body positivity is a subset of that. The body positivity movement actually started in the late 1960s when women were rebelling against other …
The “Ozempic body” phenomenon
In a serendipitous encounter, I crossed paths with an old schoolmate of mine whimsically dubbed Fluffy Carol during our shared medical residency. Famous for her arresting charm and infectious smile, she was, in many ways, the life of the party if we ever had one.
Despite her endearing qualities, one mischievous fellow in our group had bestowed upon her a less-than-ideal nickname that stuck, though it was seldom uttered in her …
Breaking down weight management: insights from a bariatric expert [PODCAST]
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Join Maria Iliakova, a bariatric and general surgeon. In this episode, we’ll explore essential topics in weight management and bariatric surgery. Discover effective ways to start conversations about weight with patients, learn when to refer to a …
Ozempic: miracle drug or a band-aid for obesity?
An excerpt from Dr. T’s Drop the Fat Diet: 12 Steps to Leaner You Forever.
Semaglutide, a medication often marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, or Rybelsus, has gained immense popularity in recent years. This is especially true in an age where diabetes and obesity are on the rise. The medication is being …
The Spandex dilemma: Does size still matter?
In today’s fashion landscape, one may wonder if size truly matters anymore. With the prevalence of spandex in clothing, determining one’s actual size has become a challenging feat. The question arises: what role does spandex play in the ongoing obesity crisis? Does it hinder our ability to make informed choices about our weight and health?
Consider this scenario: you weigh 130 lbs., but the pants you wear contain 2 percent spandex. …
COVID vaccines and weight loss medications: a tale of 2 needles
I am perplexed by two different needles which, when viewed together, illustrate the irrational themes which dominate our shared humanity. They inform me that, despite being a doctor for more than twenty years, I honestly feel dumber each day about human behavior. If, unlike me, you have somehow figured out more along the way, good for you.
The first needle which vexes me was the one stuck in my arm on …
Unraveling the complex enigma of obesity [PODCAST]
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We sit down with Franchell Hamilton, a bariatric surgeon, to explore the intriguing link between genetics, brain function, and obesity. She shares her insights into why many patients don’t feel full even after eating, even post-bariatric surgery. …
5 things to know about weight from a bariatric surgeon
You’ve probably had friends and family corner you to look at a rash or talk about medications. With social media exploding about Ozempic, these questions and even curbsides from physicians have boomed. We all want to know more about weight.
As a bariatric surgeon, here are five things every physician should know about weight:
- How to start a conversation with a patient about weight
- When to refer a patient to a …
Contemporary weight loss: Unveiling the quest for elusive elixir
Recently, I received a call from an old friend. We had drifted apart over the years, but his purpose in calling wasn’t rooted in a desire to rekindle the embers of yesteryears. No. Rather, it was an explicit inquiry into whether I could assist him in obtaining the elusive elixir of contemporary weight loss. In revealing tones, he shared that the specter of obesity loomed heavily in his family lineage, …
Is obesity really a disease?
Obesity is unquestionably a major risk factor for disease and an increasingly serious societal problem, but is it actually a disease? I would argue that obesity, defined purely by a BMI of >30, is really just a number – an objective finding. In the long-honored tradition of medical science, an objective finding is not a disease, unless it is tied to a pathogenesis. For example, anemia is just a number, …
Uncovering the truth about genetic mutations and weight loss
“I do not feel full even after I eat” is what I heard from so many of my patients. Even after bariatric surgery, this feeling of fullness would go away initially but then it would come back, and they found themselves again overindulging. Why does this happen? Brain studies have shown that obesity impairs the dopamine signaling in the brain that tells the brain it is satisfied after nutrients enter …
It is time for the FDA to re-evaluate metrics for weight loss drugs
Between 2013 and 2016, 49.1 percent of U.S. adults surveyed had attempted to lose weight within the last 12 months. Weight loss medications have reached the public eye in popular culture and practice. To be considered effective in a clinical trial by the FDA, the drug candidate must demonstrate a statistically significant difference in mean weight loss between the active product and placebo-treated group of at least five …
Unveiling the game-changing diabetic drugs: Revolutionizing weight loss and diabetes management
The drug representative had a smug look; she knew she had a winner. She didn’t need to sell anything—the American public had already bought the story. There are very few drugs in history where patients are excited about the conversation and want to take a new medication. I am talking about the new class of diabetic drugs called GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide) agonists. The particular drugs are Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro …
Obesity increased over COVID-19: Here’s why patients are worried
Millions of Americans are more worried than ever about obesity. And millions are willing to consider weight-loss methods they never had before, including metabolic and bariatric surgery and anti-obesity medications. The reason: a pandemic that put those with obesity in its crosshairs. These are among the findings from a recent survey from the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and NORC, an independent research organization.
Fears …
Childhood obesity in the U.S.: a growing health crisis affecting millions and demanding action from pediatric health care practitioners
Childhood obesity has become a health crisis in the U.S. across all socioeconomic levels. CDC statistics from 2017 through 2020 indicate the following for children and adolescents ages two through 19:
- Obesity prevalence was 19.7 percent and affected about 14.7 million children and adolescents.
- Obesity prevalence was 12.7 percent among 2- to 5-year-olds, 20.7 percent among 6- to 11-year-olds, and 22.2 percent among 12- to 19-year-olds.
- Among Hispanic children, …
How to make small changes for big weight loss wins [PODCAST]
Why weight loss drugs are not the answer to obesity
Drugs that cause weight to melt away sound more tempting than chocolate cake, but weight loss drugs won’t cure obesity. And that’s OK, because obesity isn’t a disease to be cured. Obesity is just a risk factor for more important risk factors. Fat people are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, conditions that can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes – but it’s …
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