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Having Effective Conversations with Patients Regarding Weight

By: Dr. Keri Peterson, MD —

Health care providers are in an ideal position to talk to patients about the important topic of weight management because of the many health consequences associated with overweight and obesity.   Keri Peterson, MD and scientific advisor for the Calorie Control Council noted that “While physicians may feel time constraints during the visit, counseling a patient on their weight has been found to be a key factor in promoting behavioral changes.”  And while it’s sometimes easier to manage the health symptoms rather than addressing lifestyle changes, it is important to understand if your patient is ready to address their weight and what support they need.

Open the discussion in a caring and respectful way and assess whether the patient is comfortable discussing their weight.  After assessing your patient’s comfort, it may be helpful to understand your patient’s opinion of how excess weight has affected his or her life. Expressing your concerns about health risks and how this is affecting the patient can provide additional context to establish their level of interest in weight management.

Asking for a recall of food intake and physical activity can also help initiate dialogue on recommendations and setting goals.  Patients will need resources to discuss setbacks as well as to provide inspiration to maintain behaviors and continue establishment of new achievable goals.

If your patient is interested in modifying their weight, they may need help establishing a support system of appropriate healthcare professionals. Identifying other issues that may be affecting their physical or emotional health can help establish the right support network of healthcare professionals which might include dietitians, physical therapists or exercise trainers, psychologists, bariatric surgeons, and others.

Remember that effective weight management requires skillful and empathetic communication between practitioners and patients.  Even if a patient is not ready to lose weight, providing advice on healthy eating and regular physical activity may still be of benefit.

Additional References

About Keri Peterson, MD

Dr. Keri Peterson, MD is a medical contributor and columnist for Women’s Health and a frequent guest on NBC’s Today, ABC’s Good Morning America, Fox News and CNN. Based in New York City, Dr. Peterson has been in private practice since 1999 and holds appointments at Lenox Hill Hospital and Mount Sinai Medical Center.   With a BA from Cornell University and a Medical Degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, she completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center and is board certified in Internal Medicine. Dr. Peterson is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American Medical Association, and serves as medical advisor for the Calorie Control Council.

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