Health benefits of losing weight

✔ high blood pressure
✔ high cholesterol
✔ gallbladder disease
✔ some types of cancers
✔ osteoarthritis (wearing away of the joints) and sleep apnea (interrupted breathing during sleep)
Where to start for weight loss? Start with knowing your body mass index, although the BMI is not a very accurate indicator of weight related health risk as the distribution of the weight also is important. You can use this free W8MD tool to understand your metabolic risk.

Body Mass Index
BMI is a tool that is often used to determine whether a person’s health is at risk due to his or her weight. It is a ratio of your weight to your height. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is considered healthy, a BMI of 25 to 29.9
is considered overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. You can find your BMI using the chart below, and you can also see the weight range that is healthy for your height. How can I lose weight?

Prescription Weight loss Drugs

If your BMI is 30 or more, or your BMI is 27 or more and you have weight-related health problems, you may consider using prescription weight-loss drugs. Drugs should be used as part of an overall program that includes long-term changes in eating and physical activity habits. Only a licensed health care provider can prescribe these drugs. See “Additional Reading” for more information about prescription medications for the treatment of obesity.

Bariatric Surgery

If your BMI is 40 or more, or your BMI is 35 or more and you have weight-related health problems such as diabetes or heart disease, you may consider bariatric surgery (also called gastrointestinal surgery). Most patients lose weight quickly. To keep the weight off, most will need to eat healthy and get regular physical activity over the long term. Surgery may also reduce the amount of vitamins and minerals that are absorbed by your body. The rapid weight loss as a result of bariatric surgery may also cause gallstones. See the “Additional Reading” section for more information about bariatric surgery.

What a safe and effective program will offer:

◆ A team of licensed health professionals.

◆ A plan to help you keep weight off after you have lost it.
Program cautions:

There may be side effects or health risks involved in the program that can be serious. Discuss these with your health care provider. Regardless of the type of weight-loss program you choose, be sure you have follow-up visits with your health care provider. He or she may suggest ways to deal with setbacks or obstacles you may face along the way, as well as answer any questions you may have as you move forward.
It is not always easy to change your eating and physical activity habits.

You may have setbacks along the way.

But keep trying–you can do it!

• Weight Loss Services In NYC
• Cost of a weight loss program

[table id=1 /]