Even if your weight doesn’t bother you much from day to day, obesity puts you at an increased risk for serious conditions like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and fatty liver disease. If you’re concerned about obesity or its risk factors, Chidi Anukwuem, MD, and Miriam Joseph, NP, can create a weight management plan for you at LCT Medical in Irvington and Old Bridge, New Jersey. Schedule an appointment over the phone or online for more information about obesity today.

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What is obesity?

Obesity is a chronic condition that occurs if you have excessive body fat. There are several different calculations and measurements that can tell you if you’re overweight or obese, and the team at LCT Medical considers several of them. They include body mass index (BMI), skin thickness tests, and waist-to-hip comparisons.

LCT Medical provides lab tests to check your cholesterol and other factors of your blood chemistry that can tell them more about your health with obesity.

A BMI of over 30 typically indicates obesity, but it doesn’t account for the difference between muscle and fat. Since muscle weighs more than fat, you might have a BMI over 30 without being obese.

What causes obesity?

In most cases, obesity is more complex than simply eating more calories than your body needs. While your diet and the calories you consume certainly play an important role, there are other factors that contribute to excessive weight gain. They include:

  • A slower metabolism with age
  • Inadequate sleep
  • Pregnancy
  • Your genetics
  • Hormone imbalance
  • Psychological distress
  • A lack of exercise

You can also have health conditions that prevent you from maintaining a healthy weight or make it hard to lose weight, like hypothyroidism, osteoarthritis, or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).

What are the health risks of obesity?

Obesity can cause you to feel depressed, anxious, or socially isolated. It can also affect your sleep and energy levels.

The condition also has some serious health implications. If you’re obese or overweight, your risk for the following diseases and conditions is higher than average:

  • Sleep apnea
  • Infertility
  • Heart disease
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • High cholesterol
  • Certain types of cancer
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Gallbladder disease
  • Arthritis

Some of these diseases might already affect you. If that’s the case, LCT Medical can factor treatments for them into your treatment plan for obesity.

How is obesity treated?

Obesity treatment includes targeted treatments and medications for the health conditions that go hand-in-hand with obesity, as well as weight loss strategies to help you manage your weight in a healthy way.

LCT Medical works with you to create a one-of-a-kind weight loss plan that includes any other treatments you need to manage your health.

Typically, weight loss plans include dietary modifications and recommendations for exercise. Appetite suppressants can also be an effective tool for weight loss as long as you take them under your physician’s guidance and supervision.

In extreme cases, surgeries like gastric bypass are necessary for effective weight loss. If you need surgery, LCT Medical can make a referral.

To set up an appointment and learn how to manage obesity, call LCT Medical or book online today.