Weight loss treatment can be grouped into

1. Lifestyle modification through diet and exercise.

2. Pharmacotherapy

3. Surgery

Lifestyle modification through diet and exercise.

1. It is the preferred method for weight loss for overweight people (BMI 23-27 kg.m²) or have class 1 obesity (BMI 27 -32 kg/m²). Your goal is a modest weight reduction of 5-10% of body weight in 6 months. The goal for weight loss should be 2 kg each month.

The diet should be restricted to 1000-1200 kcal/day for women and 1200-1600 kcal/day for men. This would help induce a calorie deficit of around 500-1000 kcal/day and aid in the above mentioned weight loss goals without causing excessive hunger.

The diet should be low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, added sugars, and salt.

Foods to avoid include fried foods, bakery products, refined flour, sweets, red meat, egg yolk, and whole milk and its derivatives.

Foods allowed include fried/broiled foods, lean meats, egg whites, skim milk, leafy greens, citrus fruits, and whole grain cereals and breads.

Exercise should be aerobic with moderate weight training. About 300 minutes of exercise per week is recommended for people who want to achieve a reduction of >5% of their body weight. This exercise plan should be started gradually and done initially in 10-15 minute intervals to avoid fatigue. The level of daily activity should be increased and exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling, dancing or swimming should be incorporated into the routine.

Behavior changes include changing your environment to limit food intake and increase activity level, keeping a food diary, self-motivation and support, as well as rewarding yourself with something other than food.

weight loss medications

Weight loss medications may be indicated for people who are overweight or obese but unable to achieve their goals through diet and exercise. It is important to remember that all medications can have some side effects and should only be taken on a short-term basis with a prescription from a registered physician.

1. Sibutramine – This drug has resulted in 5-10 pound weight loss, but it also causes serious side effects and has therefore been withdrawn from the market.

2. Orlistat: Reduces the amount of fat absorbed through food and can be taken three times a day with meals. It causes up to 8-10% weight loss after a year of regular treatment, but can cause side effects such as stomach cramps, gas, and oily stools in some people. It has also been linked to liver disease in some cases.

3. Lorcraserin – Reduces appetite and results are almost similar to orlistat but has other side effects like nasophingitis, headache, respiratory infections, etc. It should not be administered to patients with reduced renal function or to pregnant women.

4. phentermine

Other products such as ephedra, chromium, diuretics, herbal laxatives, and hoodia have been linked to weight loss, but there is no firm scientific evidence that these products actually help reduce body weight in the long term. .

Surgery

This is only an effective treatment for effective long-term weight loss in morbidly obese individuals (BMI > 32 kg/m2 with associated comorbidities or BMI > 37 kg/m2 with or without comorbidities).