Today, 65 percent of adults in the United States can be considered either overweight or obese. While losing weight can be a frustrating process, a weight loss of just 10 percent has been proven to reduce several obesity-related risk factors. People who wish to shed unwanted pounds have several available weight loss options, including diet and exercise, prescription drug therapies, and bariatric surgery. Of all available weight loss options, diet and exercise should be your first choice. Reducing the amount of calories consumed is the safest way to lose weight. Meeting with a nutritionist can help you learn how to read nutrition labels, plan healthy meals, and prepare foods with low-fat cooking techniques. Walking or engaging in some other form of regular physical activity is an important part of maintaining your weight loss.
Weight loss options for prescription drugs include Orlistat (Xenical), Sibutramine (Meridia), and Phentermine. Many patients find that drug therapy makes it easier to follow their recommended nutrition plan. Patients who use prescription drugs as part of their weight loss plan must regularly meet with their doctor to evaluate their progress.
While bariatric surgery can be considered the most drastic of all weight loss options, it is a very effective and healthy choice for people who have been unsuccessfully losing weight through other methods. Gastric bypass and the LAP BAND procedure are two weight loss options for the treatment of morbid obesity. Both types of bariatric surgery help patients lose weight by decreasing appetite and limiting the amount of food that can be consumed.
