Introduction to Obesity
Obesity is a chronic and complex health condition, influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors. Recognition and understanding these factors is an important aspect of helping your patients manage their weight, some of which are outside your patients control.1.
Obesity is typically assessed using the Body Mass Index (BMI) calculation. Additional assessments may include evaluating waist circumference, body composition, and assessing obesity-related comorbidities. Medical history-taking and physical examination also help to identify potential underlying causes and associated risk factors.
Managing your patient with obesity involves a patient-centred approach. Personalized treatment plans, incorporating lifestyle modifications, such as dietary changes, increased physical activity, and behavioural interventions should focus on helping the patient achieve the best weight that they can sustain over time2.. In some cases, pharmacotherapy and bariatric surgery may be considered.
It is important for Health care professionals to recognize the impact of emotional factors, such as stress, self-esteem, body image, and social stigma, and provide support and resources (or refer to other appropriate health care professionals) for managing these challenges.
Continuous education and professional development in obesity management can help improve patient outcomes and contribute to the broader goal of addressing the obesity epidemic. Consilient Health provide a range of educational webinars on various topics including obesity. If you wish to view our webinars, please click here.
If you wish to register for all our webinars, please click here.
BMI App
This app is for use in calculating the BMI of Children only.
Mysimba is not indicated for use in children.
Mysimba
Consilient Health and Currax supply a medicine called Mysimba which is indicated, as an adjunct to a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity, for the management of weight in adult patients (≥18 years) with an initial Body Mass Index (BMI) of
- ≥ 30 kg/m2 (obese), or
- ≥ 27 kg/m2 to < 30 kg/m2 (overweight) in the presence of one or more weight-related co- morbidities (e.g., type 2 diabetes, dyslipidaemia, or controlled hypertension)
Treatment with Mysimba should be discontinued after 16 weeks if patients have not lost at least 5% of their initial body weight.
Further information on Mysimba can be found below:
Summary of Product Characteristics can be found at www.medicines.ie
References
1. 9 reasons why obesity is not a choice. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/9-reasons-obesity-is-not-a-choice
2. https://www.mybestweight.ie/mybestweight
The information on this website is intended for Republic of Ireland residents only
IE-CH-1368 Date of Preparation August 2023