Obesity

Robert Lustig, MD, MSL, warns that sugary baby foods, rising birth weights, and ultraprocessed school meals are fueling long-term health risks in children.

Semaglutide treatment significantly improved quality of life and reduced flare-ups in patients with obesity and hidradenitis suppurativa.

The Senate HELP Committee held a hearing to address the high cost of semaglutide drugs, finding that many patients cannot afford them despite their potential benefits.

Weight loss drugs have gained attention as a tool to help combat obesity, but understanding how they work, who they’re for, and their potential downsides is key to making informed decisions.

Patients who had weight-loss surgery were more likely to have managed their high blood pressure compared with those who used medications and modes of management.

At an Institute for Value-Based Medicine® (IVBM) event cohosted by The American Journal of Managed Care®, experts discussed efforts to implement obesity management science into practice.

The growing list of insurers dropping coverage for costly GLP-1 weight loss drugs leaves patients to bear even higher out-of-pocket expenses while still struggling to meet their goals.

This article reviews the obesity epidemic in America and discusses inadequate insurance coverage.

“We are at an inflection point regarding treatment of obesity,” said Robert Kushner, MD, MS, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

The authors advocate for a consideration of 2 distinct phases of obesity management (ie, active weight loss and maintenance of weight loss) to allow substantially more people access to antiobesity medications.

Getting weight loss drugs into the hands of those who need them could be a matter of changing pricing models to give more patients access to the medication they need.

Aside from semaglutide, alternate weight loss routes include other anti-obesity medications, chronic weight management programs, or obesity medicine specialists, said Ian Neeland, MD.

Breastfeeding infants during the first 3 months can lower their risk of childhood obesity, regardless of the mother's body mass index before pregnancy.

Despite there being more patients undergoing bariatric surgery since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in 2010, these surgeries had better postoperative outcomes.

Jeff McIntyre, MA, of the Global Liver Institute (GLI), discusses the importance of the health care community understanding non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and how to mitigate its global impact.

Ian Neeland, MD, of University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, talks about the uptick in patients at his practice seeking semaglutide for weight loss.

According to Ian Neeland, MD, there are 2 main reasons for the shortage of injectable semaglutide: the fact that oral semaglutide has not yet been tested for weight loss, and that most practitioners just overlook it as an option.

COVID-19 subvariant JN.1 accounts for about 62% of US cases, resulting in mask mandates being reinstated in cities across the United States; sugary drink sales fell dramatically across 5 US cities after implementing taxes on them; it is difficult for Special Supplement Nutrition Program for Women and Children (WIC) participants to find approved items.

Ian Neeland, MD, highlights that oral semaglutide is more accessible and that patients should avoid switching drug types during the shortage.

Ian Neeland, MD, of University Hospitals Harrington Heart & Vascular Institute, describes challenges patients with diabetes face during the semaglutide shortage and alternative options he gives his patients to prevent therapy disruptions.

An in-depth look into what the drug is being used for and what has contributed to the shortage.

Peter Katzmarzyk discusses contributing factors to obesity and the chronic disease preventions and implementations collaborative care teams like nutritionists, psychologists, and physical therapists should support.

A new survey from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions found that employers are planning to place a larger focus on obesity management, women’s health, and health equity in 2024 and beyond.

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that children with obesity receive intensive counseling at age 6 to promote healthy diet and exercise habits; a new survey found that the majority of American patients are wary of their doctors using artificial intelligence (AI); a class-action lawsuit was filed Tuesday against health insurer Humana for using an AI algorithm that systemically denies seniors rehabilitation care recommended by their doctors.

End-of-year victory for lawmakers as health care policies pass in the House; insurance limitations prompt concerns over access to semaglutide (Ozempic) for diabetes; a legal battle ensues over the fate of abortion laws in Arizona.