H3ALTH Talk • Episode 5
June 13, 2023H3ALTH Talk • Episode 6
July 11, 2023
It’s no secret that the United States is in a war against obesity, and the majority of Americans are battling with weight management every single day. In fact, according to Harvard University, “roughly two out of three U.S. adults are overweight or obese (69 percent) and one out of three are obese (36 percent),” and “if U.S. trends continue unabated, by 2030, estimates predict that roughly half of all men and women will be obese.”
Virtually all health organizations – including the American Medical Association, Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization, and the Obesity Society – consider obesity to be a complex chronic disease influenced by economic, environmental, behavioral, and genetic factors.
But unlike other serious diseases that require comprehensive, nonjudgmental care, obesity isn’t always treated without bias. That bias often affects the prescribing of effective weight loss medications as part of a holistic health and wellness management plan.
Prescription weight-loss medications are growing in popularity and effectiveness as an effective part of comprehensive weight management plans. But if these weight loss drugs are legit, why aren’t people talking about them more? And better yet, why aren’t doctors prescribing them?
A brief history of medication for weight management
For decades people have dreamed of a “magic pill” to help them lose and manage their weight. And while that day hasn’t exactly arrived, there have been advances along the way. But it hasn’t always been pretty … and it’s left many people wondering “Do prescription weight loss medications even work?”.
Since the 1930s, patients interested in losing and managing their weight have used (and abused) amphetamines, thyroid hormones, diuretics, digitalis, laxatives, and barbiturates.
Because these types of weight loss medications were historically poorly regulated and potentially dangerous, they resulted in many health complications and deaths. Probably the most infamous of these weight loss drugs was Fen-Phen, the most prescribed weight loss medication of the 1990s—and what many believed to be the “magic pill” they’d been waiting for.
While effective for many of its patrons, the drug was taken off the market in 1997 because of high rates of associated heart valve damage to its patients (many of whom were never overweight, to begin with) … and it left a lasting effect on the wellness industry, too.
Unfortunately, the early history of weight loss prescriptions and the Fen-Phen debacle gave many doctors and healthcare professionals a bad taste in their mouths when it came to weight loss medications. And even now, the National Library of Medicine notes that “weight loss medications are rarely prescribed to eligible patients.”
Despite the spotted history of weight loss medications, today’s available prescription medications are more effective and far safer than in the past. Here’s why:
Weight loss medications are new and improved…for the right patients
First, the ideal candidate for modern weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Phentermine (to name a few) are not meant for casual or vanity weight loss. The ideal candidates for these weight management medications are adults suffering from obesity, typically with a BMI that’s 30 or greater, and those who plateau or are unable to lose and successfully maintain their weight.
“These medications are not intended for vanity weight loss. This is not intended for losing ten pounds. This is intended for people who have the disease of obesity,” said Bob Wright, Director of Lifestyle Education at Hilton Head Health.
Plus, while medications of the past were marketed, prescribed or sold over the counter as that aforementioned “magic pill”, current weight loss medications are meant to be used only in adjunct to a nutritious diet, regular exercise and behavioral counseling. In other words, these medications are meant to be used in conjunction with a proper fitness and eating plan like the holistic wellness programs offered at Hilton Head Health (H3).
At Hilton Head Health, we believe that effective obesity management is not a one-size-fits-all program, but should include any or all of the following based on your unique needs and goals:
- Physical activity
- Behavior modification
- Healthy eating patterns
- Surgery or medications
People are always quick to say “Just eat right and exercise,” but at Hilton Head Health, we understand our guests can’t simply will themselves into a healthier, happier life—and we know that obesity is a disease that requires comprehensive, judgment-free management, just like high blood pressure or diabetes would. And that includes proven prescription weight loss medications as an option.
“Taking these medications is not a sign of weakness or failure, it’s a part of the medical management of this disease,” noted Wright.
How do prescription weight loss medications work? It’s all about the big picture.
So, how do they work anyway? What weight management medications actually do is influence hormones that may make you less hungry, feel full sooner, and reduce the absorption of some of the fat that is consumed.
“They help with hunger, thoughts about food, and some in particular help with desire for food. It helps people stay on an appropriate plan,” said Wright.
Plus, weight loss medications can help you get the weight off and keep it off. According to the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines, 2020: “Pharmacotherapy augments the magnitude of weight loss beyond that which behavior changes can achieve alone and is important in the prevention of weight regain.”
Of course, like all prescription medications, anti-obesity medications may have side effects and contraindications – so they should be thoroughly discussed with your healthcare provider before taking them.
Talk to your doctor about how weight loss medication may be an effective element of your comprehensive weight management plan, and kickstart your weight-loss journey to overall wellness at Hilton Head Health now. Call us at 800-292-2440 to find out about our award-winning weight loss programs that have been helping people lose weight (and keep it off) for nearly 5 decades.