9
Obesity Treatment
Interventions designed to treat obesity have been developed by nutritionists,
psychologists, dieticians, and the medical profession. This chapter examines
doctors’ beliefs about obesity, the usefulness of dietary interventions, and
the role of restrained eating in obesity treatment and asks whether obesity
should be treated at all. It then explores the use of alternative methods with
a focus on exercise, drug therapy, and surgery. The chapter then explores
the minority of obese individuals who have succeeded in losing and main-
taining weight loss, and finally, examines the recent shift in emphasis towards
prevention.
This chapter covers the following:
- Doctors’ beliefs about obesity
- Dietary interventions
- Should obesity be treated at all?
- The treatment alternatives
- The success stories
- Preventing obesity
Doctors’ Beliefs About Obesity
Some obese people manage their own weight and try to diet and exercise
on their own. Many, however, come into contact with a range of health
professionals, including dieticians, nutritionists, endocrinologists, and
surgeons. The first port of call for many people is their general practitioner
(GP) as obesity is increasingly managed within primary care or, when it isn’t,
GPs are those in the position to refer patients onto more specialist services.
GPs, however, have been criticized for their part in the failure to manage