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39 Treatments for Obesity

Tests

Self Care

1	Alternative Procedures

1	Over the Counter Medications

13	Herbs and Supplements

6	Prescribed Medications

10	Surgical Procedures

Overview

Since obesity develops when intake of the food required to produce energy exceeds the amount of energy used in metabolism and in physical activity, the treatment of obesity must alter one or both aspects of the energy stream. The options are to decrease energy intake or to incre...[read article]

Tests for Obesity

1. Waist-to-Hip Ratio Waist-to-hip ratio is defined as the measurement of waist circumference divided by hip circumference (for example, a waist measurement of 33 and a hip measurement o... More
2. Skinfold Thickness Measurement
3. History and Physical Exam A physical examination is a routine test your doctor performs to check your overall health. It is also known as a wellness check. A physical examination helps your ... More
4. Body Composition Measure Body mass index : Body mass index (BMI) is a tool for indicating weight status in adults. It is a measure of weight for height. For adults over 20 years old, B... More
5. Body Fat Analysis
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Self Care for Obesity

1. Dietary Modification Dietary counseling provides individualizing nutritional care for encouraging modification of eating habits. It may also assist in prevention or treatment of nutriti... More
2. Lifestyle Modification
3. Weight Reduction
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Alternative Procedures for Obesity What's this?

1. Acupuncture The practice of acupuncture originated in China 5,000 years ago. Today it is widely used throughout the world and is one of the main pillars of Chinese medicine. Th... More \| Efficacy Grade B
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Over the Counter Medications for Obesity

1. orlistat(Alli ) Orlistat (OR li stat) is used to help obese people lose weight and keep the weight off while eating a reduced-calorie diet. This medicine decreases the amount of fa... More
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Herbs and Supplements for Obesity What's this?

1. dehydroepiandrosterone DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is an endogenous hormone (made in the human body) secreted by the adrenal gland. DHEA serves as precursor to male and female sex hormo... More Efficacy Grade B
2. 5-hydroxytryptophan 5-HTP is the precursor of the neurotransmitter serotonin. It is obtained commercially from the seeds of the plant Griffonia simplicifolia . 5-HTP has been suggested... More Efficacy Grade B
3. Soy Protein Soy is a subtropical plant native to southeastern Asia. This member of the pea family (Fabaceae) grows from 1-5 feet tall and forms clusters of 3-5 pods that each c... More Efficacy Grade C
4. Taurine Taurine, or 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid, was originally discovered in ox ( Bos taurus ) bile and was named after taurus, or bull. A nonessential amino acid-like comp... More Efficacy Grade C
5. psyllium Psyllium, also referred to as ispaghula (or isphagula), is derived from the husks of the seeds of Plantago ovata . Psyllium contains a high level of soluble dietary... More Efficacy Grade C
6. Guggul Guggul (gum guggul) is a resin produced by the mukul mirth tree. Guggulipid is extracted from guggul, and contains plant sterols (guggulsterones E and Z), which are... More Efficacy Grade C
7. Acetylcarnitine The main function of L-carnitine is to transfer long-chain fatty acids in the form of their acyl-carnitine esters across the inner mitochondrial membrane before bet... More Efficacy Grade C
8. levocarnitine The main function of L-carnitine is to transfer long-chain fatty acids in the form of their acyl-carnitine esters across the inner mitochondrial membrane before bet... More Efficacy Grade C
9. rhubarb preparation Chinese herbalists have relied on rhubarb rhizomes and roots for thousands of years. The rhizomes and roots contain powerful anthraquinones and tannins that act as ... More Efficacy Grade C
10. lutein Lutein and zeaxanthin are found in high levels in foods such as green vegetables, egg yolk, kiwi fruit, grapes, orange juice, zucchini, squash, and corn. For some c... More
11. evening primrose Evening primrose oil (EPO) contains an omega-6 essential fatty acid, gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), which is believed to be the active ingredient. EPO has been studied... More
12. fenugreek Fenugreek has a long history of medical uses in Indian and Chinese medicine, and has been used for numerous indications, including labor induction, aiding digestion... More
13. green tea Green tea is made from the dried leaves of Camellia sinensis , a perennial evergreen shrub. Green tea has a long history of use, dating back to China approximately ... More
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Prescribed Medications for Obesity

1. phentermine(Adipex-P , others...) Close PHENTERMINE (FEN ter meen) decreases your appetite. It is used with a reduced calorie diet and exercise to help you lose weight. More
2. sibutramine(Meridia ) SIBUTRAMINE (si BYOO tra meen) is used to promote and maintain weight loss in obese patients. This medicine should be used with a reduced calorie diet and, if appro... More
3. orlistat(Xenical ) Orlistat (OR li stat) is used to help obese people lose weight and keep the weight off while eating a reduced-calorie diet. This medicine decreases the amount of fa... More
4. benzphetamine(Didrex ) BENZPHETAMINE (benz FET a meen) decreases your appetite. It is used with a reduced calorie diet and exercise to help you lose weight. This medicine is only meant to... More
5. phendimetrazine(Bontril PDM , others...) Close PHENDIMETRAZINE (fen dye MET ra zeen) decreases your appetite. It is used with a reduced calorie diet and exercise to help you lose weight. More
6. diethylpropion(Tenuate , Tenuate Dospan) DIETHYLPROPION (dye eth il PROE pee on) decreases your appetite. It is used with a reduced calorie diet and exercise to help you lose weight. This medicine is only ... More
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Surgical Procedures for Obesity

1. Gastric Bypass Operation Gastric bypass is a surgery that's done to help you lose weight when most other methods have failed. It's the most common type of bariatric or weight loss... More
2. Liposuction Liposuction is a cosmetic surgical procedure that removes excess fat from one or more areas of the body. It can be used for small areas, such as the space under the... More
3. Vertical Banded Gastroplasty Vertical banded gastroplasty, or VBG, is an elective surgical procedure in which the stomach is partitioned with staples and fitted with a plastic band to limit the... More
4. Bariatric Surgery Obesity surgery is an operation that reduces or bypasses the stomach or small intestine so that severely overweight people can achieve significant and permanent wei... More
5. Duodenal Switch
6. Fobi-Pouch Gastric Bypass
7. Lap Band Laparoscopic gastric banding is a surgery used for people who are overweight, or people for whom excess weight poses serious health risks. These patients usually ha... More
8. Laparoscopic Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Vertical sleeve gastrectomy is a form of weight-loss surgery that involves altering the size of your stomach so you will feel fuller and eat less food. This surgery... More
9. Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
10. StomaphyX
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This feature is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the care and information received from your healthcare provider. Please consult a healthcare professional with any health concerns you may have.

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