VOL. 07  |  ISSUE 4  |  December 2024

Getting to an ideal weight and staying there is a constant challenge for most people. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 74 percent of adults in the U.S. struggle with weight management.

From genetics to more sedentary lifestyles to the convenience of fast food, there are many factors that contribute to struggles with reaching and maintaining a proper weight. No matter the factors, most people do have a desire to get and stay at a healthy weight. According to a study published by the National Library of Medicine, 42 percent of adults from the general population reported trying to lose weight annually.

In this Doc Talk, Vinroot talks about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight and some steps people can take to get started down that path.

Many people personally struggle with their weight, and it can be a sensitive topic to discuss. Why is talking about the importance of maintaining healthy weight important to you?

In the United States, we have an obesity crisis, and it’s worsening every year. Obesity in itself is not only a medical problem that makes doing things very difficult – getting into vehicles and getting around. Obesity also leads to a lot of other medical problems, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and, most importantly, diabetes. If we can get folks to get closer to a healthy weight, we can have a positive effect on their daily lives and life expectancy.

Weight is a challenge for people in most countries. However, for Americans, it seems to be more of an issue than for people elsewhere. Why do you think that is the case?

I’ve lived in a lot of parts of the world. I’ve lived in the Middle East, I’ve lived in Africa, I’ve lived in the West Indies and I’ve spent a lot of time in Central America working as a physician. I didn’t see obesity in a lot of these countries; it was a non-issue. There are a lot of factors that go into that. Our diets in the U.S. are problematic. We want food that’s inexpensive and fast. Also, we are very fortunate in this country. We don’t have to look for water or walk a mile to get to a market. People are able to hire someone to do any job here in the U.S. Here, people hire someone to cut their grass or clean their house. In the end, it leads to a stationary population because you can sit at your computer and do your work and drive your car where you need to go.

Whether it’s you or someone you are close to, talking with someone about being overweight can be difficult. As a medical doctor, how do you navigate those conversations?

I think physicians have a difficult time because for a long time, obesity was looked at as a life choice. Now, the medical community also is looking at it as having a medical component. I think it’s a combination of both. Giving feedback to someone who is experiencing an alcohol or substance abuse problem is difficult, but it might be more accepted in our society. With obesity, there is a stigma attached to commenting about it. If you say something, people are afraid you are putting them down, and that needs to change. Physicians, parents and spouses should all feel comfortable telling someone they care about that they have a weight problem. Talking about it in a sensitive way is important.

You mentioned alcohol or substance abuse, but one could forgo those things and survive. Food is essential, and one simply can’t survive without it. Does that make managing weight harder?

I think it does because in our culture, eating is something we do socially, and we talk about three meals a day. In parts of Africa and other developing areas, they may eat one meal a day. We take time off to eat, we then spend a lot of time with our families while eating and nothing is wrong with that. But culturally, we think we need to have a large meal three times a day with multiple snacks in between. Society has unfortunately taught us the wrong ways to eat – portion size, going out for fast food. In Africa, some people have never even been to a restaurant. They eat at home. When you eat at home, you can choose the ingredients, but not when you’re eating fast food. It’s a real challenge.

Tips for Getting to a Healthy Weight

Dr. Richard Vinroot offers commonsense tips for getting on a path to a healthy weight.

• Stay hydrated
• Limit liquid calories such as sugary drinks, fruit juice and flavored coffee
• Cut back on refined sugars
• Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables
• Limit dairy
• Read labels
• Focus on protein and healthy fats
• Eat single-ingredient foods
• Limit processed foods
• Eat slowly
• Fast intermittently
• Bring your lunch to work
• Plan meals and snacks ahead of time
• Use smaller plates and take smaller portions
• Get daily exercise
• Get a good night’s rest every day

Everyone is different. We all have different genetic makeups and body types. Is a healthy weight for one person not necessarily a healthy weight for someone else?

I think so. If you’ve got some risk factors for diabetes or high blood pressure, being mildly overweight can lead to disease. Others can carry more weight and not develop some of these concerning medical problems. A healthy weight for each individual is specific to that individual, but a body mass index of 45 or higher would be considered morbidly obese, and a BMI over 30 would be considered overweight. That is something that needs to be considered. When you are deemed obese or morbidly obese, you already have worsened the risk for diabetes, heart disease and a lower life expectancy.

Most people look at themselves in the mirror and can identify something they would like to improve about their physical appearance. Since we all tend to be our own worst critics, does this underscore the importance of an annual physical exam?

A doctor should be able to give advice based on height, weight and BMI, and any concerning findings they may have, such as difficulty with activities because of shortness of breath, fatigue and lack of mobility. Hopefully, a physical would help identify those issues. That should be part of the conversation, but sometimes even a physician might find that conversation difficult.

What’s your advice for someone wanting to get to a healthy weight?

The main ways of losing weight are a healthier diet, less calories, avoidance of sugary drinks and sugary foods, exercise, and physical activity. There are drugs on the market that have been effective at helping people lose weight, but it’s important to note that those drugs are intended primarily to help people manage diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions caused by being at an unhealthy weight. Anyone considering taking those medications first should consult with their primary physician. What it boils down to is you burn more calories than you take in. It’s not one or the other. You can’t just exercise like crazy three times a day and eat whatever you want and expect to be a proper weight. Proper diet also is necessary to get there.

Column ideas or specific questions can be sent to Damon Gross, Manager-Content and Editorial Operations, at dgross@fmi.com.