Medical Weight Loss
Treatment Fundamentals
Medical weight loss and obesity medicine fall under the practice of preventative medicine.
Preventative medicine is one of the easiest (and best) ways to reduce healthcare costs long-term.
Semaglutide is one of the fastest-growing medications in preventative obesity medicine.
Nebraska Wellness Group offers these preventative services, including GLP-1 semaglutide, tirzepatide, and similar medications.
- Our expert team is here to help! Contact us to learn more about medical weight loss.
Background
Obesity in the United States is a critical health concern, marked by a significant proportion of the population having a body weight higher than what is considered healthy for their height. According to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2017–2018, approximately 42.4% of American adults were classified as obese, with severe obesity affecting about 9.2% of the adult population. The prevalence of obesity is also notable among children and adolescents, with about 19.3% of those aged 2 to 19 years being obese and 6.1% severely obese (NIH, 2021).
The rise in obesity rates over the years has been significant and expensive for the U.S. healthcare system. From 1999 to 2018, the prevalence of obesity and severe obesity among adults in the United States increased considerably. Among children and adolescents, the prevalence of obesity roughly doubled between 1988–1994 and 2017–2018 (NIH, 2021). This upward trend indicates a growing public health issue that encompasses various risks and complications, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other serious health conditions.
Factors contributing to this epidemic are multifaceted, including genetics, dietary habits, physical activity levels, sedentary behaviors, and socio-economic elements that influence access to healthy food and recreational activities. The implications of this are vast, affecting not only individual health outcomes but also placing a significant strain on the healthcare system and society at large. (NIH, 2021)
Risks of Obesity
The prevalence of hypertension, which affects nearly half of the adult population in the United States, is intricately linked with obesity, necessitating effective weight-loss strategies to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular and renal diseases. This highlights that intentional weight loss, achieved through dietary intervention or physical activity, can lead to significant reductions in blood pressure, if maintained over time.
The pathophysiology of obesity-induced hypertension is complex, involving factors like the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), which can affect blood pressure before significant weight gain occurs. Strategies for managing obesity and hypertension include not only lifestyle modifications but also pharmacotherapy and metabolic surgery, where appropriate, to achieve and sustain weight loss and blood pressure control.
The scientific statement emphasizes the dose-response relationship between increased adiposity and the risk of heart failure, coronary heart disease, and stroke, underlining the importance of managing obesity to prevent hypertension-related target organ damage. Additionally, the impact of diet and physical activity on sustained weight loss and hypertension control is discussed, recommending heart-healthy dietary patterns like the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which have proven benefits in reducing blood pressure and managing weight (Hall et al., 2021)
Semaglutide, tirzepatide, and even alternatives such as liraglutide and retatrutide are relatively new medications, but the large body of research done on them has return encouraging results (Phillips & Clements, 2021). These medications are highly effective, and the negative outcomes or side effects reported are easily mitigated under medical supervision.
Why Medical Weight Loss
Obesity, recognized as a chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease, impairs health and reduces life expectancy. The AANP highlights the role of preventative medicine in managing obesity, as well as highlighting that genetic and environmental factors contribute to obesity’s onset and maintenance, necessitating proactive and effective management strategies in healthcare.
Preventative medicine’s effectiveness in combating obesity lies in early diagnosis and intervention, which can halt or reverse the progression of obesity and its related health complications. These complications are often at the root of common conditions encountered in clinical practice, and addressing obesity can lead to substantial improvements in these health issues.
Our Services
Nebraska Wellness Group specializes in offering prescription GLP-1 (and similar) medications, behavioral interventions, and alternative therapies specifically designed for sustainable, healthy weight loss. Every patient has individualized needs, which necessitates individualized programs.
Specifically, GLP/GIP-1 and similar medications have shown great promise for supporting weight loss in treatment-resistant individuals. Nebraska Wellness Group offers a range of these medications, specifically compounded to meet the individual needs of each patient.
We offer a unique program design for our patients. Our programs follow a similar design to those of assisted therapy programs, or integrated medicine. The goal is unique solutions for your unique needs.
Semaglutide is very effective at assisting in weight loss. However, a combination of lifestyle changes undoubtedly has returned the best results both in our community and in the latest research (Ryan et al., 2020). Similarly to practices such as precision medicine or psychiatric assisted therapy, patients have seen a much greater dose dependent response using a combination of interventions.
What is GLP-1?
Semaglutide, tirzepatide and similar medications, classified as a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1 and similar) receptor agonists, are versatile medications revolutionizing the way healthcare has approached obesity medicine. Originally, it was designed to control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes, working in tandem with diet and exercise. However, its potential has been further realized due to an increase in support and research. Healthcare organizations soon realized that semaglutide had the power to go beyond diabetes treatment, offering a strong alternative for weight loss and maintenance in obese patients.
Summary
Obesity is a significant health concern in the United States, affecting over 42% of adults and around 19% of children. Its prevalence and associated healthcare costs have risen dramatically over recent decades. Obesity is linked to numerous health issues, including hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, necessitating effective management strategies like dietary interventions, physical activity, and sometimes pharmacotherapy or surgery. Medical weight loss is critical as obesity is a chronic condition that impairs health and reduces life expectancy. Early intervention can prevent or reverse its progression and related health complications. Nebraska Wellness Group provides individualized weight loss programs using prescription GLP-1 medications, behavioral interventions, and alternative therapies. GLP-1 receptor agonists, such as semaglutide and tirzepatide, initially used for diabetes management, have shown significant promise in obesity treatment, supporting weight loss and maintenance.
FAQ’s
For more information regarding frequently asked questions for our services, check out our FAQ’s page!
If you have a medical emergency, call 911.
Any further queries can be sent to [email protected]
Ref:
Reilly, J. J., Methven, E., McDowell, Z. C., Hacking, B., Alexander, D., Stewart, L., & Kelnar, C. J. H. (2003). Health consequences of obesity. Archives of Disease in Childhood, 88(9), 748-752. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.88.9.748
Stefan, N., Birkenfeld, A. L., Schulze, M. B., & Ludwig, D. S. (2020). Obesity and impaired metabolic health in patients with COVID-19. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(3), 810-812. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyaa132
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, May 17). Adult Obesity Facts. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
Ryan, D. H., Lingvay, I., Colhoun, H. M., Deanfield, J., Emerson, S. S., Kahn, S. E., Kushner, R. F., Marso, S., Plutzky, J., Brown-Frandsen, K., Gronning, M. O., Hovingh, G. K., Holst, A. G., Ravn, H., & Lincoff, A. M. (2020, November). Semaglutide Effects on Cardiovascular Outcomes in People With Overweight or Obesity (SELECT) rationale and design. American Heart Journal, 229, 61–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ahj.2020.07.008
Phillips, A., & Clements, J. N. (2021, December 28). Clinical review of subcutaneous semaglutide for obesity. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics, 47(2), 184–193. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpt.13574
Piché, M. E., Tchernof, A., & Després, J. P. (2020, May 22). Obesity Phenotypes, Diabetes, and Cardiovascular Diseases. Circulation Research, 126(11), 1477–1500. https://doi.org/10.1161/circresaha.120.316101
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, March 23). Health and Economic Costs of Chronic Diseases. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2021, September). Overweight & Obesity Statistics. Retrieved March 28, 2024, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/health-statistics/overweight-obesity
Hall, M. E., Cohen, J. B., Ard, J. D., Egan, B. M., Hall, J. E., Lavie, C. J., Ma, J., Ndumele, C. E., Schauer, P. R., & Shimbo, D. (2021, November). Weight-Loss Strategies for Prevention and Treatment of Hypertension: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association. Hypertension, 78(5). https://doi.org/10.1161/hyp.0000000000000202
