"We don't recommend weight loss as a way of treating medical conditions," [Dr.] Moore says.
Instead, she tells her patients that exercise and nutritious food are good for them regardless of whether or not they lose weight.
"We recommend moving your body in a way that's sustainable, which hopefully is joyful," she says, and "eating food in a way that nourishes."
Moore says that emphasizing the inherent benefits of exercise can help people start, as well as stick with, a routine. She points to research showing that even well-meaning comments about weight from family members and doctors can increase exercise avoidance and that people with more internalized anti-fat attitudes are more likely to avoid exercise when they experience weight stigma.
"If after that discussion, a patient still is fairly certain that they want to focus on weight loss," Moore says, "I do tell them that it is likely to fail in the long term."
The last section boggles my mind. Why do people regain? There are so many personal, interpersonal, community and structural factors that impact how easy or hard it is to maintain a healthy weight. The US is not a walkable or public transit oriented country, food is not regulated, healthcare is a privilege, and people are overworked and stressed. These factors make it hard to lose weight long term. To just tell a patient who has made the choice to focus on weightloss does not strike me as weight neutral care. I absolutely agree that providers should not focus on weight to the exclusion of other factors. But to tell a patient they can’t lose weight long term seems disingenuous. Taking with patients about how weightloss will require life long changes gives patients a better understanding of their next steps.
I’d love to hear others thoughts. I am 60 lbs down and I do not approach my weight loss as a temporary effort. It is a lifelong change.
Entire article here: Why some doctors are trying a 'weight-neutral' approach in their clinics : Shots - Health News
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