Treating Obesity as a Chronic Illness

Many people believe obesity is a willpower issue that’s simple to fix by eating less and exercising more. Obesity is a chronic illness and not a matter of simple willpower. The CDC defines a chronic illness as, “conditions that last one year or more and require ongoing medical attention or limit activities of daily living or both.” Obesity meets these requirements and is associated with an increased risk of other chronic illnesses, including heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

Root of the Problem

After years of only treating symptoms, healthcare providers are now addressing the hormones that cause obesity.

Each person has about 30 hormones that regulate appetite, fat storage and distribution. Most of these are hunger hormones that tell your body to eat more and store fat. Only a handful are hormones that make you feel “full” and tell you to eat less and burn fat. For people who struggle with weight, they have higher levels of hunger hormones and lower levels of full hormones, making them hungrier and more likely to eat foods that cause weight gain.

Medication Can Help

Over the past year, there has been talk in the news and among weight loss experts about Ozempic^®, with division about whether this medication for diabetes can also be used for weight loss. It can be used for both.

Ozempic is a prescription medication that mimics GLP-1, a gut hormone that triggers insulin release and slows stomach emptying. This results in feeling full faster, staying full longer, and decreased food intake. Studies show it can help users lose up to 15% of their body weight. While it is approved for treating diabetes, Ozempic is identical to another drug, Wegovy, approved for weight loss.

Even with the availability of medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, weight loss surgery is still a necessary and effective treatment for obesity. Surgery can address five to eight appetite-regulating hormones. Targeting the hormonal causes of obesity with medication, surgery or both is proving to be the most effective way to treat this chronic illness.

Find Answers

The Total Weight Loss Center at North Kansas City Hospital offers nutritional counseling and a range of medical and surgical weight loss solutions. If you have questions about Ozempic or are looking for support in your weight loss journey, visit TotalWeightLoss.com.

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Breann Kelley

Breann Kelley, MD, is a medical weight loss physician with the Total Weight Loss Center. Dr. Kelley is a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and vice president of the Midwest Obesity Society. She has been helping patients with medical weight loss since 2016.