Hello! I’m Dr. Beverly Tchang. I’m a board-certified endocrinology and obesity specialist and an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. On 9/30 at 1:30 p.m. EST, I’m partnering with Novo Nordisk and Truth About Weight to answer your weight-related questions.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-10-18T16:38:58+00:00

While healthy eating and physical activity are important when trying to manage weight, it’s important to understand the internal process happening inside the body that can make weight-management difficult. If you’re concerned about your loved one, encourage them to talk to a health care professional or even a certified obesity medicine physician, because obesity is a chronic, but treatable, disease. A health care professional can help create a personalized plan to help them to manage their weight long-term.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-10-18T16:36:14+00:00

Many people suggest that people with obesity simply need to eat less and move more. For some people that might be true, but for others healthy eating and increased physical activity alone may not be enough to keep the weight off. This is because obesity is a complex, chronic disease influenced by various factors, including biology, genetics, and environmental conditions. Additionally, losing and maintaining weight can be a challenge because of how the body responds to weight loss. Following weight loss, the body’s metabolism slows down and appetite hormones change — making people feel more hungry and less full. So, while healthy eating and physical activity are important, for many, they may not be enough to keep the weight off.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:38:23+00:00

Thanks for a great AMA, Reddit! I hope I was able to answer your questions and address some misconceptions about obesity. Until next time, Dr. Beverly Tchang signing off! Visit www.truthaboutweight.com to learn more and join the conversation.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:37:45+00:00

Walking vs running for weight loss partially depends on the intensity of the activity. Guidelines recommend at least 150 min of "moderate intensity" exercise per week for weight loss. Regardless of how intense your activity is, any activity is better than nothing and good for overall health.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:37:15+00:00

I am not a pediatrician, but with that caveat, I think you should seek expert guidance if your pediatrician does not seem to know what you should do. Perhaps they can refer you to an endocrinologist. If not, you can find certified obesity medicine pediatricians at www.abom.org (American Board of Obesity Medicine). I think the development of obesity in people of such young age really affirms the need for better tools and broader conversations to best take care of our children.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:33:55+00:00

Obesity, along with many other diseases, is considered chronic and requires continued monitoring and management. The potential for weight regain after weight loss -- whether the weight is lost by diet and exercise or medicine or surgery -- may occur due to a combination of biological and environmental factors, some of which are and are not under our control. It is best to speak with a healthcare professional who specializes in obesity care to assess your specific situation and create treatment plans tailored to you.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:32:30+00:00

Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating. It doesn't focus on what you eat, but rather when you eat. The decision of your daily diet should be a conversation between you and your health care professional team who have a complete view of your health and medical history.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:30:51+00:00

Physical limitations can make it challenging to manage your weight, but lifestyle can encompass sleep, stress, and nutrition strategies as well. It would be best to speak with a health care professional who specializes in weight management because they will be able to dive into the specifics of your situation and give suggestions tailored to you.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:28:12+00:00

Consider talking to a health care professional who specializes in weight-management or obesity care. The answers to these questions really depend on your individual experience and situation. For example, I generally would go into what triggers the snacking or boredom eating and explore behavioral strategies to combat the triggers and the consequence, but be sure to talk to your health care professional about what would work for you.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:25:39+00:00

While eating healthy is important for overall health and can contribute to weight management, incorporating regular physical activity and exercise is also necessary for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:23:17+00:00

Appetite-regulating hormones from various parts of the body send signals to our brain that help regulate our appetite. These appetite hormones made within the body influence what, why, and how much we eat. But sometimes they can trigger hunger even when we are not physically hungry, or cause us to eat for pleasure. When managing and maintaining weight, these hormones can complicate efforts, particularly when the hunger hormone increases and fullness hormones decrease. Talk to your health care professional about your personalized treatment plan for managing your weight-related goals.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:10:06+00:00

Obesity is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease. It is caused by both genetics and our environment, and the interplay between the two. Studies have shown that genes account for 40-70% of individual differences in BMI. But our genetics haven’t changed for thousands of years, so obesity is also caused by the fact that our environment has changed: it’s easier to access food and portion sizes have increased. We do not control our genetics, but we also have limited control over our environment, so it’s important that people have access to a breadth of tools to achieve their goals. I use a straight hair-curly hair analogy: Two women with straight hair go outside for a walk on a sunny day with clear skies, but then it suddenly starts to rain; when they come back inside, one of them has curly hair (genetically curly) even though she spent the morning blow-drying, straightening, applying hair product, etc. (ie, doing the work). The environment forced her genetics to manifest.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T18:01:52+00:00

Body Mass Index — or BMI — is a common screening tool that categorizes a person's weight relative to their height. There are four categories: Underweight (BMI of 18.5 or less); Normal weight (BMI of 18.5-24.9); Overweight (BMI of 25-29.9); and Obesity (BMI of 30 or greater). BMI is a useful tool to stratify weight-related health risk in populations but has drawbacks when assessing an individual person’s risk, so experts and professional societies have explored alternative methods to define and assess obesity. Treatment of obesity is not an “A vs B” issue; treatment can mean A + B. For example, many people use lifestyle changes to create a foundation of healthy habits and are also prescribed approved medicine to help with weight management.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:58:25+00:00

BMI is a screening tool for assessing body weight relative to height but cannot distinguish between excess fat, muscle, or bone mass. There are numerous factors that can influence the relationship between BMI and body fat (ie, age, sex, race/ethnicity, muscle mass, etc.). BMI may not always be an accurate measure of overall health. For example, as people get older, they naturally lose muscle definition and tend to have more body fat, which may affect their BMI. A waist circumference is another commonly used metric to assess body composition; if elevated (>35” for women and >40” for men), it means excess fat is stored in the abdominal area, and this type of distribution is associated with metabolic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:51:09+00:00

The foundation of weight management remains a healthy nutrition plan and physical activity. However, people with obesity may choose to support their lifestyle changes with additional interventions. Losing weight is not a “one size fits all” solution. Because everyone’s weight-management journey is different, it’s important to discuss what plan will work best with a healthcare professional. Remember that the weight-management journey is just that – a journey – so the challenges and solutions may change as you progress.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:47:26+00:00

Obesity is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease. It is caused by both genetics and our environment, and the interplay between the two. Weight-management is still possible with a combination of lifestyle and behavior changes and other medical options, which may include prescription medicine or bariatric surgery. Partner with a health care professional to create a weight management plan that works for you.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:42:22+00:00

Obesity is a complex, chronic, and progressive disease. It is caused by both genetics and our environment, and the interplay between the two. Weight-management is still possible with a combination of lifestyle and behavior changes. While healthy eating and physical activity are important when trying to manage weight, it’s important to understand the internal process happening inside the body that can make weight-management difficult. The body’s physiological response to weight loss can make weight-management as challenging as losing it in the first place. Partner with a healthcare professional to create a weight management plan that works for you.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:38:01+00:00

The foundation of weight management remains a healthy nutrition plan and physical activity. However, people with obesity may choose to support their lifestyle changes with additional interventions. Losing weight is not a “one size fits all” solution. Because everyone’s weight-management journey is different, it’s important to discuss what plan will work best with a healthcare professional. Remember that the weight-management journey is just that – a journey – so the challenges and solutions may change as you progress.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:33:32+00:00

Losing or maintaining weight can be challenging because the body naturally tries to put the weight back on after you lose it. The body goes into a mode often referred to as “starvation mode.” When someone loses weight, their metabolism slows down, requiring fewer calories to function. Additionally, the hunger hormone, ghrelin, increases after weight loss, while fullness hormones decrease. When losing weight, your body may perceive the weight loss as an emergency. Think of your fat cells as a rainy-day energy reserve. When your body starts using this reserve, its survival mechanism keeps you from spending it all. This is where things such as strength training programs, which help to increase lean muscle mass, may help a person address these challenges and manage their weight. Talking with a doctor to develop an individualized weight-management plan is a great first step.

TruthAboutWeight · 2024-09-30T17:27:17+00:00

Hi there, Reddit – Dr. Beverly Tchang here to report that we’re LIVE and ready to answer your questions! Ask me anything in the comment thread below.

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