WEIGHT LOSS (WEIGHT CONTROL) WITH DIABETES
Question: What's the best way for a person who has diabetes and heart problems to lose weight?
Answer: If you have both of these conditions, you should try to lose weight only under the direct supervision of your doctor.
Obesity is a leading cause of health problems and preventable deaths in the United States. The following list shows some of the conditions that are associated with obesity:
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol.
- Type 2 diabetes.
- Coronary artery disease.
- Stroke.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Sleep apnea
- Cancer
- Arthritis
- GERD.
Losing weight is critical to controlling many of these diseases.
It is tough to lose weight, and unfortunately, there are no quick fixes. It has to be done gradually to be successful. People who also have other health problems, such as heart disease, should be particularly careful when starting a weight-loss program.
The keys to lasting, safe weight loss are diet and exercise. Most overweight patients are referred to a dietician, and those with heart disease are often encouraged to start an exercise program as well. Doctors may also prescribe weight-loss medications such as sibutramine (Meridia) and orlistat (Xenical) to certain patients. Most doctors advise patients to lose no more than 1 to 2 pounds a week.
At first the goal of weight loss for obese patients is to lose 10% of their body weight. Six months is a reasonable amount of time to spend losing that weight. When you've lost that much and kept it off for a while, you can set a new goal.
Once you lose the weight, the biggest challenge is keeping it off. You're only going to be able to do this if your weight-loss plan extends for a lifetime. Lasting weight loss occurs when people permanently change how they eat and live.
If you are interested in losing weight, talk to your doctor about which options are right for you.
