One Third Of People Who Seek To Lose Weight Do Not explore Weight Loss Medication! Why?
- liveblueconsulting
- Apr 5
- 2 min read
I wanted to bring some attention to Dr. Sue Peterson’s blog. It is an eye opener on barriers people face to taking medication for obesity, if it could help!
The best suggestion I can give to anyone:
To achieve your best life, it's essential to conduct your own research to make informed decisions that maximize your outcomes. As you learn more, you can adapt your choices, leading to better decisions that align with your health goals. Think of it like peeling an onion—gradually uncovering layers, one small step at a time, with the support of your healthcare team. To love yourself is to put yourself first when it is needed, then when others need you, you have the energy to give.
Dr. Sue Peterson Blog has great content.
The top 3 reasons why people with obesity said they were not taking medication:
34% didn’t want to take medication
33% had side effect concerns
26% did not trust weight management medication
(#4 on the list was cost)
For the 34% who did not want to take medication, reasons may overlap with others on this list, but there may be other things going on behind the scenes. When I explore reluctance to consider medication with my patients, some tell me that they feel it is their fault that they struggle with weight, and that they should be able to lose weight without the help of medication – this is called internalized weight bias. I spend time to help people understand the biology of weight, that it is not their fault that they struggle with weight, that losing weight defies normal human biology, and that ‘eat less move more’ therefore works for very few. There are some who tell me that they would feel ashamed to take weight loss medication. I have also had patients who are having success with weight management medication, but they are afraid to keep taking the treatment in case they ‘get caught’ by their family or friends.
The statistics tell us that a lot of people stop taking weight loss medication within a year after starting treatment. While some are due to cost, loss of insurance, shortages of medication, or wanting to ‘test the waters’ to see if they can keep weight off without medication, I thinkthere are people out there who are not talking about the self blame, and both internal and external bias and shaming that they are experiencing because they are taking weight management medication.
It brings me great sadness that weight bias and stigma can present a barrier to people accepting treatment for elevated weight. Do people feel shame or feel shamed by others and thus say no to treatment when it comes to taking heart medication, arthritis medication, or chemotherapy? I would say that would be pretty rare to non existent.
We need to continue to push back against the frigid glacier of weight bias by speaking out and educating about obesity, until it is completely melted away.
I hope you like this content,
Danielle Pointon
Live Blue Consulting
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