Diagnosing obesity prompts action, report Mayo Clinic physiciansAugust 02, 2007ROCHESTER, Minn. -- Mayo Clinic physicians have identified that simply being diagnosed as obese increases a patient's likelihood of establishing a treatment plan with their physician, a crucial step in improving health. It's a significant finding, because obesity is a growing worldwide epidemic and the second leading cause of preventable death in developing countries. Published in the August issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, the article reveals that an obesity diagnosis is the strongest predictor of obesity management. Mayo Clinic physicians evaluated the records of 2,543 obese patients treated over a one-year period. Only one in five patients had their obesity documented and a disease management plan made, the study's authors say. But those patients who were diagnosed as obese had a 2.5 times higher chance of forming a weight loss management plan than if they hadn't been diagnosed. Warren Thompson, M.D., a Mayo Clinic internist from the Department of Preventive Medicine, says physicians should be more proactive in discussing obesity with their patients and patients should initiate the conversation if their weight concerns them. The ramifications are far-reaching for improving the health of those living with obesity, which is a risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Even a small reduction in an obese person's weight improves quality of life, reduces morbidity and results in lower health care use and medical costs. Mayo Clinic |
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| Related Obesity Current Events and Obesity News Articles Physical education key to improving health in low-income adolescents School-based physical education plays a key role in curbing obesity and improving fitness among adolescents from low-income communities, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and UC Berkeley. Energy gap useful tool for successful weight loss maintenance strategy Americans continue to get heavier. Most weight control methods short of bariatric surgery are generally considered ineffective in preventing obesity or reducing weight. TV bombards children with commercials for high-fat and high-sugar foods Childhood obesity in the United States is reaching epidemic proportions. With more than one fourth of advertising on daytime and prime time television devoted to foods and beverages and continuing questions about the role television plays in obesity. New scientific study indicates that eating quickly is associated with overeating According to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), eating a meal quickly, as compared to slowly, curtails the release of hormones in the gut that induce feelings of being full. American Dietetic Association Releases Updated Position Paper Promoting and Supporting Breastfeeding The American Dietetic Association has released an updated position paper on breastfeeding that details health benefits for both infants and mothers and encourages promotion of breastfeeding whenever possible. Addressing obesity via the 'energy gap' The November issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association features a commentary by James O. Hill, an honorary ADA member, professor of pediatrics and medicine and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado-Denver. MSU researcher: Obesity significantly cuts odds of successful pregnancy Obese women are as much as 28 percent less likely to become pregnant and have a successful pregnancy, according to research that earned a Michigan State University professor a national award. Study: Lap band surgery effective for morbidly obese children A surgeon at Children's National Medical Center and his colleagues from New York University have found laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap band) to improve the health of morbidly obese adolescents. Gastroenterology/hepatology societies release report evaluating fellowship training curriculum Due to the increasing complexities of treating digestive diseases, allowing gastroenterological (GI) trainee physicians the opportunity to develop enhanced abilities and experiences in specific disease areas or procedures will be a great benefit to patients, according to a "Report of the Multisociety Task Force on GI Training." Study finds link between childhood physical abuse and arthritis Adults who had experienced physical abuse as children have 56 per cent higher odds of osteoarthritis compared to those who have not been abused, according to a new study by University of Toronto researchers. More Obesity Current Events and Obesity News Articles |
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