Weight Loss Begins with Understanding the Cause

Am I summer body ready? Should I try the latest 30-day weight loss challenge? Is the new weight loss pill worth the hype? Is how I want to lose weight healthy or the right choice for me? People with these questions about weight loss are not alone. Almost half of U.S. adults have tried to lose weight in the past year. Over one-third of U.S. adults have tried dietary supplements for weight loss or were influenced to try weight loss supplements. 

Dr. Gurvinder Kaur, board-certified family medicine physician at Crystal Run Healthcare, wants those with weight loss on their minds to know that it’s not just them who is concerned about weight loss.

“A lot of my patients tell me they’re concerned about their weight,” said Dr. Kaur. “Worry over BMI and weight loss is a common topic during patient visits.”

A person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) is a tool that doctors can use to help assess a person’s risk for certain health conditions. A BMI calculator helps determine if a person’s weight is considered a healthy level for their height. Generally, A person is considered to be obese if they have a BMI over 30. When a person has a high BMI, they are considered more at risk for several diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers, among others. However, it is important to note that BMI should not be the only tool used to see if you’re healthy or at a healthy weight. BMI does not take into account how much of the weight is muscle versus fat, or factor in different body types or bone density. 

“Dwayne Johnson is not morbidly obese, he just has muscles”, said Dr. Kaur. “The BMI number is not only what we focus on. It’s a person’s comorbidities, or health risk factors, that really help guide us to see if weight loss should be recommended to a person.” 

Comorbidities are pre-existing or simultaneous medical conditions that can affect not just a person’s overall health, but depending on the condition also how easy or hard it is for them to lose weight. Some comorbidities that can be related to obesity, like hormone issues, diabetes, eating disorders, or depression, can also make it more difficult for a person to lose weight or can contribute to further weight gain.

“It gets frustrating for patients to see others lose 20-40 pounds just by changing their diet, while they feel like they’re trying everything,” remarked Dr. Kaur. “We need to get to the core cause of the weight gain and why they may have difficulty losing weight.   Is it snacking, constantly thinking about food, mental or hormonal health, excessive commuting or even a lack of resources? Once we know, we can work together with our patient to develop a total health plan.”                     

The root cause for weight gain or difficulty losing weight can be different for everybody. It could be habitual, like excessive snacking or eating unhealthy foods. It could be a preexisting health condition like sleep apnea, which causes poor sleep. A root cause for weight gain can even be a hormone imbalance.

“For example, cortisol is a hormone that builds fat storage. So obsessing over weight causes cortisol levels to increase and makes it harder to lose weight,” Said Dr. Kaur. 

Once a person knows the root cause of their weight gain, they can work with their doctor to determine what weight loss strategy may work best for them, such as lifestyle changes, weight loss plans, prescription medications or a surgical procedure. and prescription options to assist with a healthy weight loss plan.  

Lifestyle weight loss options can look like seeing a dietician for a proper meal plan designed for an individual's needs, switching sugary drinks with water to decrease sugar intake or speaking to their provider about increasing daily exercise. A healthy weight-loss plan should focus on increasing a person’s overall health, not just focusing on rapid weight loss.

 “Sometimes just changing how you walk from slow to brisk walking may be enough to help, no need for a gym,” advised Dr. Kaur. “Park your car farther, take 10 minutes of your lunch break to walk – just a few laps, you don’t need to run. Talk to your provider about small lifestyle changes you can address immediately to support your weight loss goals.”             

If lifestyle measures are not successful, a person’s doctor may recommend a prescription medication or a surgical procedure like bariatric surgery. These options can be effective, but not always accessible with high out-of-pocket costs, depending on health insurance or financial situation. Even existing comorbidities can prevent the effective use of invasive methods for weight loss. It is important to discuss all of these factors, including chances of reaching a normal body weight through all weight loss options, with a doctor to see if medication or surgery is a good option.

“Regardless of which method of weight loss you choose, it is important to make sure you are also treating your root cause of weight gain,” said Dr. Kaur. “By working with your doctor, you can work to treat the cause of your weight gain and help make it easier to maintain your weight loss.”

When in doubt, talk to your primary care physician about making positive changes to your diet. Whether you choose a family practitioner, an internist, or a geriatric specialist, your primary care provider at Crystal Run Healthcare will help you manage and coordinate all your healthcare needs, including how to help get you on the best path to healthy eating. They offer integrated, coordinated care for all patients, including those with common medical conditions like obesity, diabetes and more.

Gurvinder Kaur, MD, is a board-certified Family Medicine physician at Crystal Run Healthcare. She earned her medical degree at the Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland and completed her residency in Family Medicine at The Institute for Family Health, Mid-Hudson Family Medicine Residency Program in Kingston, New York. Dr. Kaur has clinical interests in type 2 diabetes, hypertension, diet/lifestyle modification, morbid obesity and its treatments. She is seeing patients in Middletown, New York.

Consult your doctor prior to beginning an exercise program or making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine.