The Weight Is Over: Facts and Figures About Obesity

Obesity, or what is sometimes called “unhealthy weight” is the biggest medical problem our country is facing today. In the United States today, two out of three people are either overweight or obese. More than 90% of commonly treated chronic medical diseases are either directly or indirectly related to unhealthy weight. And unfortunately, more than 90% of people who lose weight eventually regain those pounds.

Losing as little as 5-10% of your overall weight can significantly improve many chronic medical conditions and patients will often require less medication to treat conditions. It is very important that weight loss is being supervised by a trained physician, especially if there are any chronic medical condition. Patients with chronic conditions may need adjustment of many of the medications as weight loss progresses. Similarly, due to certain pharmacological actions, there are many prescribed medications that cause weight gain or make it hard to lose weight. Only properly trained medical doctor can assess and adjust those medications.

Top ten tricks to fight unhealthy weight

• Eat more nutritionally-dense foods like vegetables and fruits and less calorie-dense foods.
• Ditch sugar in any form. Sugar is toxic!
• Avoid low-fat products that are high in sugar or that have multiple ingredients. It is important to eat healthy fat. It is sugar—not fat—that is causing obesity.
• Go for one ingredient foods like spinach, celery, chia, quinoa, fish, or eggs. Avoid foods with ingredients that you don’t know about.
• Laugh more. Remember, the heavier the mind, the heavier the body.
• Exercise! Keep moving!
• Sleep at least for eight hours each day.
• Drink more water; water is the very healthiest drink for your body.
• Aim to be more energetic rather than to being skinny.
• Be mindful about your eating habits.

Granger weight loss and wellness program

• Focuses on reprogramming your body and mind for optimum performance.
• Offers comprehensive ongoing assessment of medical conditions as they relate to unhealthy weight.
• Provides thorough nutrition and diet information as well as exercise counseling and planning.
• Offers pharmacotherapy and surgical referral if it seems necessary.
• Teaches you some of the simplest stress reduction strategies to live happy and healthy life.

Not only will you lose weight as a part of this program, but you will also feel more vibrant, more vital, and more energetic. The mission of the wellness program is to provide exceptionally compassionate care by blending the true art of healing with the true art of living.

Interesting facts

• Artificial sweeteners are more addictive than regular sugar. Sugar is said to be more addictive than cocaine.
• You have to walk 4.5 miles just to burn off one 20 oz. soda. If you eat one supersized meal, you have to run 26 miles (a marathon) to burn off the extra calories.
• It takes 3500 kcal in negative energy balance to lose one pound.
• Medical studies have shown that you can cut down the risk of diabetes by 60% and chronic kidney disease by 30% just by losing 5-10% of your weight.
• All calories are not the same. Calories from sugar, sweetener, or processed foods are more harmful and cause the body store fat.
• Just one 12 ounce serving of a sugar-sweetened beverage each day can increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes by up to 22%.
• The average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. This is equal to three pounds (or six cups) of sugar consumed every week.
• If current trends in the growth of obesity continue, total healthcare costs attributable to obesity could reach anywhere from $861 to $957 billion by 2030.

Sheetal Shah, MD, is board certified in internal medicine and nephrology. She is a member of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), a professional medical society dedicated to educating and supporting physicians in the treatment of those affected by obesity. She practices at Granger Medical Clinic in West Jordan, Utah. Appointments can be scheduled by calling 801.569.5600.

Originally printed in Granger Medical Clinic’s magazine, Spring 2014.