Obesity Health Center

The first and most common treatment for obesity is typically a simple change of habits — eating, exercise and sleeping habits, for example. Health professionals will usually guide patients to make sure they lose weight at a safe speed.

Some people are severaly obese and may require other forms of treatment. Prescription weight-loss medicines — like FDA-approved lorcaserin (brand name Belviq) and orlistat (brand name Xenical) — can block the body's ability to absorb certain nutrients or decrease appetite.

Eating can be an addiction for some people. In such cases, doctors may prescribe counseling or support groups.

Often used as a last resort due to potentially fatal complications like blood clots, weight-loss surgery can result in dramatic weight loss in a short amount of time.

A common weight-loss surgery is gastric bypass. In gastric bypass surgery, the surgeon decreases the size of the patient's stomach and redirects where some food goes in the body. For the patient, a smaller stomach means he feels full more quickly, and not all the nutrients he eats are absorbed.

Review Date: 
May 17, 2012
Last Updated:
July 29, 2014
Source:
dailyrx.com