In our society, thinness is the ideal rule. The definition of overweight is however quite different for health care professionals from the magazines. For your doctor, you’re overweight if your body mass index (BMI) is greater than or equal to 25 (Calculate your body mass index). Go see a practitioner you will appreciate at its proper level the importance of your overweight. Your doctor may also take into account other clinical parameters that have prognostic value for health, as the degree of abdominal adiposity, as assessed by simply measuring the waist (normally less than 90 cm in women and 100 cm in men). The doctor may also measure with a compass the skin fold thickness in different body areas (abdomen, shoulder, hip) to assess the importance of body fat.

The better you understand a better therapeutic approach

The first consultation is essential because it allows the practitioner not only to specify the type of obesity in question but also and especially to assess factors that may have contributed to you being overweight: a history of obesity in the family unbalanced diet, lack of exercise or, more unusually, thyroid disease … The examination is usually long and painstaking because the decision to lose weight and start a diet should never be taken lightly. Weight loss causes a change in body image, which can cause psychological problems in people sensitive and careful practitioner must always ensure that the time is right before you propose to help you lose weight.

It does little good to lose 10-15 pounds if the price of a depression … When obesity is not a life-threatening, but is mainly a source of psychological distress, priority may also be to fight against the stigma and restore self-image rather than struggle against the scales. Do not be surprised if the doctor who receives you, ask you in detail how you live your overweight and even if you advise to take before or in conjunction with a conventional treatment approach psychological.

When overweight threatens your health

During this initial interview, the practitioner will also appreciate the potential dangers posed your overweight for your health and seek special factors that might contribute to increase the impact of overweight on your cardiovascular system (hypertension, diabetes .. .). A system impact on the joints (osteoarthritis of the hips and knees), respiratory problems, sleep apnea, are also elements that are involved in therapeutic choices that modulate and support, which is never limited to weight loss.

Some basic tests like blood glucose testing, a lipid, or sometimes additional tests may therefore be prescribed during this initial consultation.

After the interview, the practitioner will ask reviewers to undertake a food survey with a dietician. During one week, you will note in a notebook all the foods you eat each day during meals, which will identify possible dietary mistakes and help you, later, to correct them.