Medical Management of Obesity

Lee, Sang Yeoup

doi:2017.17.2.66

Korean J Helicobacter Up Gastrointest Res > Volume 17(2); 2017 > Article

Review

The Korean Journal of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research 2017;17(2):66-71.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7704/kjhugr.2017.17.2.66 Published online June 10, 2017.

Medical Management of Obesity

Sang Yeoup Lee

¹Family Medicine Clinic, Obesity, Metabolism and Nutrition Center and Research Institute of Convergence of Biomedical Science and Technology, Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital, Yangsan, Korea. saylee@pnu.edu
²Department of Medical Education, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Yangsan, Korea.

비만의 내과적 치료

이상엽^1,2

양산부산대학교병원 가정의학과 비만영양대사클리닉 및 의생명융합연구소¹, 부산대학교 의과대학 의학교육학교실²

Correspondence: Sang Yeoup Lee,
Email: saylee@pnu.edu

Received: 27 March 2017 • Revised: 31 March 2017 • Accepted: 3 April 2017

Abstract

We, as health advocates, aim to raise awareness on the importance of a long-term approach for managing obesity as a chronic disease rather than merely a cosmetic issue. The cornerstone of obesity management remains the application of comprehensive lifestyle programs designed to modify dietary habits, physical activity, and behavior. Drug therapy for obesity should be used in addition to comprehensive lifestyle management. Appropriate use of anti-obesity drugs, approved by Food and Drug Administration, may help patients with obesity. Therefore, clinicians need to follow both a comprehensive and a personalized approach to treat obesity. Initially, it is necessary to assess patient's readiness to lose weight and to elicit the reasons and motivations for weight loss. Then, realistic goals should be set based on the patient's health status. The goals include reducing and preventing comorbidities related to obesity. Even a modest weight loss, such as 5~10% of total body weight, can significantly improve metabolic health. Finally, both the patient and the physician should be aware that weight maintenance is as important as weight loss.

Key Words: Diet; Exercise; Obesity; Practice management; Treatment