Obesity Treatment Ladder: Medical Nutrition Therapy and Physical Activity in Clinical Practice
Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kalpavriksh Healthcare, India
Nutrition, Kalpavriksh Healthcare, India
Nutrition, Kalpavriksh Healthcare, India
Neurology, Kalpavriksh Healthcare, India
Abstract
Algorithms for treating obesity largely focus on pharmacological and surgical treatment options. Despite vast literature on different dietary approaches, focus has remained on comparing these approaches amongst themselves. The different dietary strategies result in similar weight loss in the unselected population over the long term. However, at an individual level, there should be an algorithm that will allow every individual a chance to be able to select a diet that works on a long term basis. A comprehensive and practical approach to the application of medical nutrition therapy (MNT), that amalgamates all different dietary strategies is currently lacking. An algorithm placing these diets in an ascending order of their complexity and restrictiveness is proposed to fill this gap in literature. Physical activity is an integral part of MNT for weight loss treatment. However, application of adequately intense and meaningful physical activity is often difficult in clinical practice. A step by step approach to build stamina gradually and achieve long term goal of weight loss and maintenance is discussed.
Highlights
Introduction: Obesity is an early marker of the most commonly prevalent non-communicable diseases (Nguyen, Nguyen, Lane, Wang, 2011),(Koliaki, Liatis, Kokkinos...
Methodology: The current manuscript is a descriptive review of lifestyle modifications for treating obesity. Literature search was performed on PubMed and Google S...
Framework of the treatment ladder: Management of obesity requires long-term commitment from both the patient and caregiver. It should be emphasized that it is better to have slow and su...
Setting up milestones: Weight loss occurs in a non-linear manner even with continuous medical nutrition therapy and physical activity. Weight loss is a process that follows ...
Medical Nutrition Therapy: MNT is the cornerstone of any treatment ladder chosen. Irrespective of it being sufficient or not in itself in achieving the desired goal, it would de...
Physical Activity Ladder: Exercise is often an underutilized and underestimated tool in the fight for weight loss (Petridou, Siopi, Mougios, 2019). Physical activity,...
Conclusion: The value of diet and exercise has been understated in most algorithms for obesity treatment despite studies showing robust results on efficacy and ad...