Helen Salisbury: Weight loss treatment—available in theory but not in practice

In general practice, some of the most challenging and frustrating consultations we have are those where a treatment does exist but, despite our best efforts, our patients can’t get it. Medication to aid weight loss comes into this category.It’s hard for patients to ask for help with excess weight. They often experience a sense of failure and are all too aware of how they’re seen and judged by a society that celebrates thinness and regards obesity as a visible sign of weakness and sloth. They often fear that their doctor will share this view.Many patients come to us having tried dozens of diets, typically losing a little weight only to regain it shortly afterwards. Some have had success with weight loss groups—shown to be more effective than lone dieting—but the loss is often modest, brief, or both.1 Meanwhile, the toll of excess weight on their bodies is considerable, contributing to…
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