Full Text LINK - battle

Thomas Vogt
2003 The Permanente Journal  
Diabetes and obesity have increased dramatically in the United States during the past quarter century and are having a profound, negative impact on morbidity, mortality, quality of life, and cost of medical care. New research confirms that diabetes can be prevented or delayed through aggressive weight management. After years of discouraging reports on the failure of weight management programs to produce sustained weight loss, several approaches are now known to contribute to long-term weight
more » ... trol. However, despite this good news, most weight control programs-those housed within medical care systems-are of low quality, have inadequate resources, and are not accountable for their results. Moreover, most of these programs are not covered benefits and are instead treated as optional public relations services instead of as integral parts of medical care. Most clinical advice and counseling about weight and diet is delivered to patients sporadically, briefly, inexpertly, and only after clinically significant morbidity is already present. Ironically, assessment of weight occurs almost to the point of obsession but with little meaningful follow-up. Given the magnitude of the problem as well as the new, encouraging research findings, programs-those housed within medical care systems generally and in Kaiser Permanente (KP) must become as proactive in treating obesity as the organization already is in treating hypertension and heart failure: We must treat obesity as a chronic disease. To reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve quality of life for patients with obesity, health care practitioners must correctly apply effective, available remedies for this chronic disease. Obesity Research: Winning the Battle, Losing the War Table 1. Weight interventions associated with long-term sustained weight loss Intervention Selected references
doi:10.7812/tpp/03.942 fatcat:m6ojbefebfhtlkuf3gmbdjewre