FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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This website provides information for adults living with obesity to help guide the conversation with a provider. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Get the answers to weight-related questions you may have
No matter how successful you’ve been at managing your weight, you may have some questions. Below are answers that may help you in seeking treatment, understanding the science behind weight loss and weight regain, or planning for the next step.
Understanding weight management
Weight management means focusing on achieving a healthier weight and maintaining it, avoiding weight regain over time. There are several options to consider when it comes to weight management, and what works for someone else might not work for you. To create your own weight-management plan, talk to your health care professional about how you can get started.
Excess weight isn’t just a cosmetic issue; in fact, excess weight can have an impact on your health. Losing 5%-15% of your total weight can improve some weight-related conditions, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), now known as polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS), and osteoarthritis. Talk with your health care professional to start your own weight-management plan today.
Science now shows what many of us have long suspected: after losing weight, our body tries to put it back on. There are many factors that can cause people to gain or regain weight, including genetics, appetite hormones, environment, and behavior. After weight loss, changes in appetite hormones make you feel hungrier, and also slow down your metabolism. This response to weight loss can make maintaining weight as challenging as losing weight. Learn more about the science of weight loss to see why you may benefit from a weight-management plan.
Weight and health
BMI is a screening tool based on height and weight that helps health care professionals evaluate weight categories that may lead to health problems in their patients. There are 4 categories someone may be placed in based on their BMI: Underweight (BMI of 18.5 or less), normal weight (BMI of 18.5-24.9), overweight (BMI of 25-29.9), or obesity (BMI of 30 or greater). Learn more about BMI or calculate your own BMI here.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), people with a BMI ≥25 are considered to be overweight, and people with a BMI ≥30 have obesity. Obesity is a treatable disease associated with excess weight. Obesity can be caused by multiple factors including genetics, appetite signals/hormones, environment, and behavior. Being considered overweight or having obesity can’t be determined by the number you see on a scale. To make a diagnosis, your doctor will look at your BMI using your height and weight, as well as other factors. Use a BMI calculator to determine your current BMI, which can be a starting point in discussing weight-management options with your health care professional.
Living with excess weight or obesity is associated with risk factors like high blood pressure, increased cholesterol, and elevated blood sugar (type 2 diabetes). Living with obesity can also increase the risk of heart disease.
Learn more about the link between excess weight and health risks.
As we age, we naturally lose bone density, but weight loss can speed up the process. Many people don’t realize they can lose bone density when they lose weight, which might lead to complications like frailty, bone fractures, and osteoporosis.
Learn more about how weight loss affects bone density.
Understanding how our body regulates weight
Yes, there are several hormones in your body that influence hunger, appetite, and satiety (the satisfaction you feel after eating). When these hormone levels change and fluctuate during weight loss, this can end up contributing to weight regain. You can learn more about the appetite hormones and how they work here.
Your metabolism can be assessed in 2 ways—while resting and while active. Your resting metabolic rate determines how many calories your body burns when you are not active, and your active metabolic rate determines how your body burns calories while doing strenuous activity. If you have any questions, talk to your health care professional at your next visit.
A group of hormones, often referred to as appetite hormones, help to regulate appetite in the body. Ghrelin contributes mainly to feelings of hunger, while amylin, GLP-1, and leptin contribute to feelings of fullness and satisfaction. PYY, CCK, and the rest of these previously mentioned hormones all send signals to the brain to help regulate appetite.
After losing weight by reducing calories, levels of appetite hormones can change, and this may contribute to weight regain. The body’s response to weight loss can make weight management as challenging as actually losing the weight.
Learn more about how appetite hormones work.
All day, your nervous system, which includes the brain, receives signals about your appetite from hormones that come from different parts of your body, like the stomach, intestines, and fat tissue. Both the brain and these appetite hormones contribute to what, why, and how much you eat. Learn more about the reasons why people eat and how appetite hormones can affect weight loss and weight regain here.
Managing weight
When it comes to weight loss and weight management, lifestyle changes like healthy eating and increased physical activity are important for everyone. But when lifestyle changes are not enough, there are multiple options, including prescription medicines that could help you reach your long-term goals.
Ongoing dialogue with a health care professional is an important part of a long-term weight-management plan. He or she can provide new strategies and solutions that you might be interested in trying, including discussing medicines that can help. Use the Obesity Care Provider tool on this website to find a health care professional in your area.
Knowing how your insurance works and who to contact with coverage questions and concerns is an important step in establishing your weight-management plan. Get tips for understanding your insurance policy and exploring your coverage options.
In addition to lifestyle and behavioral changes, there are a number of medicines for weight loss, which are FDA-approved. These treatments have been studied in clinical trials. To find out whether they may be right for you, let your health care professional know you’re interested in starting a weight-management plan.
Compounding pharmacies are specialized pharmacies that prepare custom, or “compounded” medicines. While compounders have a role to play in the US health care system, which is narrow, specific and limited, some organizations involved with compounding weight medications are exploiting the system to take advantage of patients looking for help. These compounded products do not undergo the FDA’s review for safety, effectiveness, and quality.
Many companies are promoting and selling non–FDA-approved or knockoff weight-management medicines. These medicines have not gone through rigorous clinical trials and do not have labels that communicate the known benefits and risks.
If you are interested in managing your weight, speak to a health care professional about a safe and effective FDA-approved medicine that may be appropriate for you.
