Non-Surgical Treatment of Obesity
There are many non-surgical methods to help lose weight. These include
- Different types of diets
- Exercise programmes
- Behaviour modification
- Drugs:
- appetite suppressants e.g. Reductil & Duromine
- drugs that reduce absorption of fat in the gut e.g Xenical
Why is it difficult to lose weight?
Weight regulation is controlled by certain parts of the brain (hypothalamus and brain stem). The body is designed to fight weight loss. Weight loss provokes a compensatory response to increase the appetite and to conserve energy. This explains the discomfort that many people get while dieting and the rapidity with which weight returns afterwards. The cycle of losing weight and gaining it back is called the “yo-yo effect”. Though temporary weight loss can help, the yo-yo effect can make it harder to lose weight in the future. This repeated failure of sustaining weight loss can lead to feelings of disappointment and depression.