DEAR DR. GOTT: My 48-year-old husband of 12 years is obese. When we married he was a large man but not obese. This condition has affected our lives in many ways. How do we get information concerning options for him other than diet? He has high blood pressure and cholesterol that are both controlled by medication. I am at my wits’ end. Please help!
DEAR READER: Your note is very brief and doesn’t give me much to go on. Why are you interested in options other than diet? Is he already on a diet? Does he consume normal portions of healthful foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean meats and fish? Has he refused to make necessary modifications to his eating habits?
Beyond that, what are his exercise habits like? Does he have a sedentary job? How has your husband’s obesity affected your lives? Are there other problems that you didn’t mention such as erectile dysfunction, loss of libido, lack of energy, acid reflux/indigestion, or others? Does he drink alcohol and/or smoke? Does he take any over-the-counter supplements or herbs?
Regardless of what other options he may consider, most — if not all — will require that he maintain a healthful diet and exercise program. Weight loss surgery often will not be performed unless the patient can show self-control in maintaining these healthful habits both before and after the procedure.
Because your husband has both high blood pressure and cholesterol, as well as being obese, he is at an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. He needs to follow a low-cholesterol, low-fat, low-sodium diet whether or not his conditions are controlled by medication. He should also try to exercise at least 30 minutes 5-7 times a week. These steps alone may help him lose the extra weight and perhaps even allow him to eliminate some or all of his medications.
If he has already made these changes yet the weight remains, he needs to undergo a thorough physical exam and blood work to determine if there is an underlying condition that his causing his excess weight or making it more difficult for it to come off, such as adrenal insufficiency, low thyroid hormone levels, low testosterone levels, and more. His hypertension may also play a role. Did he have hypertension before the weight gain as well? If so, he may be predisposed. If the problem didn’t arise until after the weight gain, weight loss should return his pressure to normal.
Without knowing the answer to any of the above questions, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend other options for weight loss. He needs to speak to his personal physician who will likely give him a similar answer. If he hasn’t or won’t take responsibility for his own health and work to better it, then he will continue with the same pattern. Weight loss surgery of any sort only works if the patient maintains a proper diet and exercise. Medications, either over-the-counter or prescription, only work for some, but they can cause serious side effects and also require proper diet and exercise.
Readers who are interested in learning more can order my Health Report “A Strategy for Losing Weight: An Introduction to the No Flour, No Sugar Diet” (a brief prelude to my books) by sending a self-addressed, stamped, number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to Dr. Peter Gott, PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form from my website, www.AskDrGottMD.com.
