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-   -   Landmark obesity guidelines in Canada treat problem as chronic illness (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=484248)

Demi Wed, Aug-05-20 02:50

Landmark obesity guidelines in Canada treat problem as chronic illness
 
Landmark obesity guidelines in Canada treat problem as chronic illness

Guidelines appear to be first to urge handling health issue as complex disease, not just a question of weight loss


https://www.theguardian.com/society...idelines-canada

Quote:
Pioneering guidelines on obesity management published on Tuesday in Canada are challenging doctors to consider the health problem as a complex chronic illness rather than something a little diet and exercise can cure.

The guidelines – believed to be the first of their kind in the world – were developed over three and a half years by a committee of 62 professionals led by Dr Sean Wharton, a Toronto internist specializing in weight management. The document advocates for approaching obesity as a complex chronic disease, rather than an issue of weight loss.

“People around the world have been waiting for this, because they knew it was going to be different, they knew we were going to push the envelope,” said Wharton. “We have gone further on obesity management than many other countries have.”


deirdra Wed, Aug-05-20 11:58

Nutritional therapy was listed third after drugs and surgery, so we'll see how it goes. At least they are starting to realize that fewer calories can change hormone levels and make obesity worse, not better. The answer is to change the food. Back to the real foods we ate 60 yrs ago (but fresh instead of canned vegs) would be a start.

doreen T Wed, Aug-05-20 17:07

These aren't "official" guidelines from Health Canada :exclm:. They're recommendations from a special interest group, Obesity Canada, targeted at primary health care professionals, in particular family physicians and nurse practitioners.

Their guidelines are posted in full here ... https://obesitycanada.ca/guidelines/chapters/ :read:. It's certainly sparking controversy!

Personally, I'm torn. On one hand I agree that BMI should not be used as a measurement of health, especially for children. Also agree with the recommendation against "eat less/move more" and for a more wholistic, empathetic approach. However, I disagree with the "medicalization" of obesity .. ie, a chronic condition that requires medical management in particular pharmacological or surgical interventions.

I suppose controversy can be a good thing, if it gets people talking and thinking, especially health care professionals and those in charge at Health Canada. Minus the food and drug manufacturers .. but of course that's just a pipe dream. Those b*stards will always have too much power (read: $$) :thdown:


Doreen, cynic

Merpig Thu, Aug-06-20 20:32

I agree that BMI should not be a good method, especially for children. This is my grandson at age 7 or so when the pediatrician told my DiL that his BMI put him well into the overweight catetgory:


We all say he must have inherited his dad's heavy bones, as here is a photo of his dad (my son) on his wedding day, when his BMI put him at borderline obese despite having a 32-inch waist and wearing a men's medium in T-shirts.

Merpig Thu, Aug-06-20 20:39

I certainly like these comments in the article:
Quote:
He says the common medical advice to eat less and exercise more doesn’t really help most patients.

“Whenever people decrease their calories, they activate a bunch of hormones and neurochemicals within their brain, within their gut, that drive the weight to come back on. So we’re failing people all the time when we say go on a diet so they can lose a little bit of weight, [because they often] regain all of it, if not more,” said the lead author.
Damn, if that isn't ever true and something most of us know first-hand - leading to the comment I've read many times that dieting is the leading cause of obesity.

And who hasn't faced this issue?
Quote:
“There is extensive literature documenting weight bias and stigma across a range of health professionals … [and] pre-service health promotion students.” Research also shows doctors spend less time with overweight patients than those with smaller bodies.

The result is that patients living with obesity are often told their weight is the cause of almost every medical complaint – something patients can easily internalize, leading to the erosion of their mental health, the guidelines say....

Scriver, however, suggested placing the onus on patients to be their own advocates may yield limited success.

“I’m tired of having to tell you I work out this many times a week and I eat basically a vegetarian diet. I do this and do that, but I’m still fat. I shouldn’t have to prove my worth to a doctor in order to get the proper medical attention that I need. Nobody should have to do that,” she said.



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