Cultural Considerations For Weight Loss

On this page:

Why talk with your developed patients about their weight?
Which patients might benefit the about?
How practise I raise the topic?
What other questions are advisable to inquire patients?
How can I help my patients who need to lose weight?
How tin I aid my patients set and stick with goals?
What if a patient needs more than assist?
Clinical Trials

As a primary care clinician, yous are in an ideal position to talk with adult patients about weight loss. These tips and resources may help you accost this sensitive topic with your patients.

Why talk with your developed patients about their weight?

About 70 pct of American adults are overweight or have obesity. Actress weight may put people at take a chance for developing type 2 diabetes, middle disease, kidney affliction, stroke, and sure cancers. Inquiry shows that even a modest weight loss of five percent can result in health benefits.¹

The rate of overweight and obesity in the U.s.a., and related health risks, make the role of the primary intendance clinician an important one. Studies show that talking with patients about weight loss may help promote behavior change.^two

Patients with overweight or obesity may desire aid setting and reaching weight-loss goals but may accept a difficult fourth dimension talking almost their weight. By speaking with patients respectfully and working with them as partners, you can play a primal part in helping them improve their wellness.

Health care professional talking with woman standing on a scale. — Studies show that talking with patients about weight loss may help promote behavior change.

Which patients might do good the most?

Measuring your patients' body mass alphabetize (BMI) regularly may help yous identify who may benefit from weight-loss data and counseling. The BMI reckoner is a screening tool that may signal high levels of body fatty and risk for excess weight. Nevertheless, it is not a diagnostic tool, and clinicians should follow up to make up one's mind a patient's health risk.

Arroyo the subject of weight direction if your patients have

current cutpoints for overweight (a BMI between 25 and 29.9 kg/mⁱⁱ) and obesity (a BMI ≥30 kg/chiliad^two), to identify adults who may be at elevated risk of cardiovascular affliction
current cutpoints for obesity (BMI ≥thirty kg/m²), to identify adults who may exist at elevated risk of mortality from all causes
waist size of more than 35 inches for women or 40 inches for men

For patients with BMIs ≥35, y'all don't need to measure waist circumference.

Patients who use medication

Some medications patients use for psychiatric disorders, diabetes, or other weather condition may contribute to weight proceeds or difficulty losing weight. Review your patients' medications and consider substituting others that may be weight-neutral or cause weight loss where medically appropriate.

How do I enhance the topic?

Patients do not desire their primary care clinicians to assume all of their problems (such equally a sore throat) are weight-related. Accost your patients' main health concerns starting time. Let them talk about other bug that may be affecting their physical or emotional health, such as family or work issues.

Open the word about weight in a respectful and nonjudgmental style. Patients may be more open up if they feel respected.

Health care professional talking with a patient — Open the word about weight in a respectful and nonjudgmental manner.

Before asking patients if they wish to discuss their weight, mention the wellness risks associated with overweight and obesity. Ask patients if you could talk with them about their general wellness, including weight.

Inquiry has shown that patients adopt the terms "weight" (first) and "BMI" (2d) when talking nigh obesity, and dislike the terms "fatness," "excess fatty," and "obesity." Preferred and non-preferred terms generally were the same across social and economic factors. Using terms that patients prefer may better patient communication and intendance.³ You may want to say something like this:

"Mr. Jones, could nosotros talk about your weight today?" or
"Mr. Jones, how are you feeling about your weight at this fourth dimension?"

Besides, be alert and sensitive to cultural differences your patients may have about weight, favorite foods, social norms and practices, and related issues. For example, patients who think they are at a normal weight within their culture might respond better to a clinician's suggestions for maintaining, rather than losing, weight.^iv

Visit NIDDK's Diabetes Discoveries and Practise Weblog for emerging trends and tips on helping patients with obesity and weight management.

What other questions are appropriate to enquire patients?

Try to decide whether your patients are willing to acknowledge that they should make lifestyle changes that might amend their wellness—and how ready they may exist to begin actually making those changes.

Patients who are not yet fix to attempt weight loss may still benefit from talking with their primary care clinician nearly healthy eating and regular concrete activity.

Questions to ask about eating and drinking patterns

Enquire patients about their eating and drinking patterns (PDF, 384 KB) . For case

"I'd like to acquire more than about your eating habits. What kinds of foods and beverages do you eat and drink on a typical mean solar day?"
"What does 'healthy eating' mean to you?"
"Do you eat simply when you're hungry, or do yous eat for other reasons as well, such as feeling stressed or bored?"
"When is the amount of nutrient and beverages you swallow and potable probable to change (for instance, when you eat out or at work or family celebrations)?"
"How do you think keeping a journal will assist you track how much y'all eat, drink, and practise?"

Questions to ask virtually physical activity

To talk almost concrete activity, start with the health benefits of being agile, fifty-fifty for short periods of time, on a regular basis. Consider asking your patients the post-obit types of questions:

"When would exist the best fourth dimension of day or evening for y'all to be active?"
"What kinds of activities do you enjoy? Exercise yous like walking? Seated aerobics? Exercise you prefer activities you tin can practice alone, with someone else, or in a grouping?"
"How much time practise you spend sitting each day? Would yous like to try to work some physical action into your daily routine?"

How can I help my patients who need to lose weight?

Partner with your patients to develop a programme tailored to their individual needs and readiness for change. Many patients may benefit from a referral to a registered dietitian or structured weight-loss program. Some evidence-based, commercial weight-loss programs may also exist helpful.

Practice guidelines

The U.Southward. Preventive Services Job Force recommends offering or referring patients with obesity for intensive, multicomponent, behavioral interventions.⁵ Lifestyle programs and counseling might include a thorough plan that uses behavior change strategies for at to the lowest degree half dozen months to increase physical activity and meliorate healthy eating.

Other options to help patients lose weight are included in the do guideline for managing overweight and obesity in adults from the American Heart Clan, American College of Cardiology, and The Obesity Society.

If a patient currently is non interested in or ready to commit to a weight-loss plan, suggest him or her to avoid further weight proceeds and continue to treat other risk factors or comorbid atmospheric condition.

How can I assist my patients ready and stick with goals?

Aid patients sympathise the stages of change and how the stages relate to making lifestyle changes, such as weight loss, that may amend wellness. Ask your patients

"What are some goals you could set regarding your weight?"
"What kind of changes would you lot be willing to offset with?"
"What kind of help would you like to meet your goals?"

Talk with patients about setting SMART goals for losing weight, or goals that are specific, measurable, doable, realistic, and time-sensitive. For example, suggest a goal of walking 30 minutes a 24-hour interval iii days a calendar week for 2 months, rather than a more than full general goal of becoming more active. Another SMART goal would exist to supervene upon soda with water every day for the next month, rather than a goal to give up all carbohydrate.

One time your patients determine their goals, they tin begin to identify concrete actions or changes they can make to encounter their weight goal over vi months. Having patients start with simply two or 3 actions or changes may make them seem less overwhelming and more than realistic.

Some patients may lose weight very slowly, which can discourage them. When you lot see patients for follow-up visits, annotation their progress. Point out any health improvements, such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Improving health numbers, along with praise, may assist motivate patients and boost self-esteem.

Health care professional taking a patient's blood pressure — Signal out any health improvements, such as lower claret pressure and cholesterol levels.

Also, discuss setbacks and brand suggestions for overcoming challenges. Your patients may want to gear up new goals or suit existing goals to make them more realistic. They also may desire to review which eating, drinking, and concrete activity habits they should modify or maintain.

What if a patient needs more assist?

Weight-loss medications may exist an selection for people with health problems related to excess weight. Adults with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 or ≥27 kg/m2 with weight-related health problems such as blazon 2 diabetes or high blood pressure might benefit from weight-loss medications.

Some patients with severe obesity—a BMI ≥xl kg/m² or ≥35 kg/thou² with comorbid atmospheric condition—may benefit from information on bariatric surgery or other weight-loss surgery. Be prepared to refer patients to a specialist who can help them decide if weight-loss surgery is an option for them.

The U.South. Food and Drug Assistants has canonical several new devices for obesity handling that cause less weight loss than bariatric surgery. Researchers don't know the long-term risks and benefits of these devices.

What type of patients may exist best suited for bariatric surgery?

Bariatric surgery may exist the next step for patients who continue to accept astringent obesity after trying lifestyle changes to lose weight‚ especially if they have one or more than comorbid conditions linked to obesity.

Among adults, bariatric surgery may be an choice if the patient has

a BMI ≥40 kg/m²
a BMI ≥35 kg/mⁱⁱ, along with a serious health problem linked to obesity, such every bit type 2 diabetes, heart affliction, or sleep apnea
a BMI ≥xxx kg/m^two with a serious wellness problem linked to obesity, for the laparoscopic adaptable gastric ring merely

Clinical Trials

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.

What are clinical trials, and are they right for you?

Clinical trials are office of clinical research and at the center of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new means to prevent, detect, or care for illness. Researchers too apply clinical trials to look at other aspects of intendance, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Detect out if clinical trials are right for you.

What clinical trials are open up?

Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

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