Weight Management And Obesity Treatment   Book Now

Obesity is a widespread issue in the UK, with numbers suggesting that approximately 25% of adults and 20% of children between 10 and 11 are obese. Fortunately, certain weight management services can help tackle not only physical changes but also help prevent potentially life-threatening conditions.

What Are The Risks Associated With Obesity?

Weight management is vital for staying healthy as obesity carries several risks. In addition to the obvious physical changes, loss of confidence, self-esteem issues and depression, carrying excess weight can lead to several potentially serious health conditions. This includes the following:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• High cholesterol and atherosclerosis (where fatty deposits narrow your arteries) can lead to heart disease and stroke
• Certain types of cancer, such as ovarian, breast, endometrial, kidney, colon, and rectal cancer
• Gallstones
• Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (where stomach acid leaks out of your stomach and up into your oesophagus)
• Osteoarthritis
• Sleep apnoea (a condition that causes interrupted breathing while you sleep)
• Stress incontinence (leaking urine when you cough or sneeze)

How To Determine If You Are Obese

A person is considered obese if they are extremely overweight and carries a lot of excess body fat. One of the most popular ways to see if you are at a healthy weight is by measuring your body mass index (BMI). This will tell you if your weight is considered healthy for someone of your height.

It is worth noting that BMI is not used to diagnose obesity since someone who is very muscular can have a high BMI without the presence of too much body fat. However, when it comes ot weight management, BMI is a handy tool for most people to indicate whether or not they are at a healthy weight. Below is a summary of the BMI for most adults:

• 18.5 – 24.9 means you’re a healthy weight
• 25 – 29.9 means you’re overweight
• 30 – 39.9 means you’re obese
• 40 or above means you are severely obese

If you want to calculate your BMI, simply use the NHS BMI healthy weight calculator.

Weight Management Tips: Diet and Exercise

Losing weight has many health benefits and you’d be surprised how much you can lose by making small, simple changes to your diet and exercise regime. Swapping sugary drinks for water and drinking coffee or tea without sugar are a few examples.

Considering a normal glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate, and a pint of lager about the same as a packet of crisps, reducing your alcohol intake is also important for weight loss.

You don’t need to be a marathon runner to lose weight either as it all starts in the kitchen. Eating the right types of food and consuming the recommended daily calories coupled with a good active lifestyle still produce the best results on the scale.

However, everyone is different so if exercise helped you lose weight, continue doing whatever you were doing and let it become part of who you are. If you are starting a weight loss programme, go on more walks to gradually build up your level of activity.

How To Keep The Weight Off

• Follow a lower-calorie diet as part of your weight management programme. Remember, the average man needs about 2,500 calories and the average woman needs 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight
• Plan ahead to avoid slipping up and ordering junk food or eating out
• Stay active by walking, running, swimming or playing a sport but don’t overdo it if you’re just starting out.
• Weigh yourself at least once a week to keep a close eye on any changes to your weight
• Keep it interesting by eating a variety of healthy meals so you don’t get bored and slip back into your old habits. Buy a new healthy cookbook or sign up for a fitness challenge like a 5k fun run.
• Set yourself challenging but achievable goals to keep you motivated to follow a healthy diet and exercise regime

Weight Management Support

Having support when trying to lose weight can make all the difference. You could connect with other people on their weight loss journey on the popular Weight Loss Support forum on the HealthUnlocked online community.

Your GP can also let you know about other useful services, such as:

• local weight loss groups – these could be provided by your local authority, the NHS, or commercial services you may have to pay for
• exercise on prescription – where you’re referred to a local active health team for a number of sessions under the supervision of a qualified trainer

Download the free NHS Weight Loss Plan on Google Play Store or the App Store.

What Are The Available Weight Management Services?

The two main types of weight management services are medication and surgery.

Medication refers to drugs that can help with appetite control or make it easier for your body to absorb calories. Surgery, on the other hand, is more extreme and is often only an option for people with a BMI of 40 or above. However, if you have type 2 diabetes and a BMI of 35 or above, you may also qualify.

While Gastric band surgery, Gastric bypass surgery, Bariatric surgery and medication can help, the first step in managing your weight is often making lifestyle changes by following a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly.

If you are struggling to make these changes on your own, you may need to see a registered dietitian or GP. You can also book a consultation with a highly trained healthcare professional at Chippenham Pharmacy & Health Clinic.

Weight Management Medication: Liraglutide (Saxenda) and Orlistat

In some cases, lifestyle changes alone are not enough to manage your weight in which case your GP may refer you to a specialist weight management service or they may prescribe an anti-obesity medicine. This is usually only available on the NHS to people with a BMI of 30 or above or 28 and above if they have another health condition that could be improved as a result, such as type 2 diabetes.
Chippenham Pharmacy & Health Clinic provide private services to support people and these include:

Liraglutide (Saxenda)

Liraglutide is a medication that can be used as part of a weight management programme for adults with a BMI of 35 or above, or 32.5 or more and you’re of south Asian, Chinese, black African or African-Caribbean origin. It can also be used by patients with non-diabetic hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) or those at a high risk of heart problems due to high blood pressure (hypertension).

Liraglutide works by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which is released after eating. This makes you feel fuller for longer and so reduces the amount of food you eat. Liraglutide is usually taken as a once-daily injection with a starting dose of 0.6mg. This is gradually increased over the course of a few weeks to the recommended dose of 3mg.

Common side effects of liraglutide include nausea, diarrhoea, and vomiting. These side effects usually improve after the first week or two of treatment.

Orlistat (Xenical)

Orlistat is a medication that can be used as part of a weight management programme for adults with a BMI of 30 or above, or 28 or above if you have another health condition such as type 2 diabetes.

It works by preventing your body from absorbing some of the fat from the food you eat. This means that you will pass this fat out in your stool (poo). Orlistat is usually taken 3 times a day with each main meal that contains fat and should be taken within an hour of eating.

Common side effects of orlistat include flatulence (wind), oily spotting on underwear, and soft stool. These side effects usually improve after the first week or two of treatment.

How Soon Will I See Results From Weight Loss Medication?

By following your weight management programme with a healthy lifestyle and by taking the prescribed medication, you should see some weight reduction after a week or two. It’s also vital that you continue to follow a well-balanced, healthy eating plan and exercise regularly whether it’s walking, cycling, swimming or going to the gym.

Weight Loss Surgery (Bariatric Surgery Options)

While Chippenham Pharmacy & Health Clinic don’t perform weight loss surgery, it’s important to understand the different options available. Surgery is usually only available on the NHS to treat people with severe obesity and even then strict criteria need to be met. There are several types of bariatric surgery all of which involve making changes to your digestive system to help you lose weight. The choice of bariatric surgery will depend on your age, weight and whether you have any other health conditions.

As with any surgery, there are also risks associated with bariatric surgery. These include infection, bleeding, blood clots and a small chance that the surgery may not be successful. Here is a simple explanation of three types of bariatric surgeries.

Gastric band surgery for weight management

The procedure involves placing a band around the top part of your stomach to create a small pouch. This makes you feel fuller more quickly, so you eat less and lose weight. The operation is done under general anaesthetic and usually takes 1 to 2 hours.

Gastric bypass surgery for weight management

This operation is done under general anaesthetic and usually takes 2 to 3 hours. It involves creating a small pouch at the top of your stomach and attaching a section of your small intestine to this pouch. This means that food bypasses (goes around) most of your stomach and the first part of your small intestine, so you eat less and absorb fewer calories.

Sleeve gastrectomy for weight management

During this procedure, a part of your stomach is removed so you won’t be able to eat as much as you could before. This means you will also feel fuller sooner. The operation is done under general anaesthetic and usually takes 1 to 2 hours.

Why Is Weight Management So Important?

As we’ve established, carrying too much weight can lead to serious health conditions which are expensive to treat and can have a significant impact on your quality of life. The extra weight causes a build-up of fatty tissue around vital organs, making it harder for the body to fight diseases like cancer, heart disease and COVID-19.

Losing weight and keeping it off can help reduce your risk of developing these conditions or make them easier to manage if you have already been diagnosed. Even a small weight loss of 5 to 10% of your body weight can improve your health significantly. Some of the other health benefits of losing weight are:

• improved sleep
• increased energy levels
• better joint function
• improved fertility
• reduced stress levels
• improved digestion

To find out more about obesity, visit Obesity UK, the leading charity dedicated to supporting people living with obesity.

Start Your Weight Loss Journey Today

Weight management is a lifelong process. There is no quick fix, but with commitment and perseverance, you can reach your goal weight and improve your health in the process.

Chippenham Pharmacy & Health Clinic has highly trained pharmacists that can help you every step of the way. We can provide you with advice and support to help optimise your results while taking our high-strength weight management medication, Liraglutide and Orlistat.

As healthcare professionals, we understand that losing weight can be tremendously challenging but it is well worth it in the end. There are simply too many benefits of achieving a healthy weight and once you get there, you will never want to go back.

Weight Management Consultation At Chippenham Pharmacy & Health Clinic

If you are ready to lose weight and improve your overall health, call our team on 01249 793 600 to book a weight loss consultation which works like a simple questionnaire. All we need from you is to provide give us with accurate information about your age, weight and general health.

Our weight management service is discrete and all your information is private. If you are local to Chippenham, your weight management consultations can be completed on-site at our weight management clinic in Chippenham.

Please visit the website to find out more about our weight management services, ear microsuction, travel clinic and vaccinations.