What is obesity?

Obesity is a common condition in the UK. It’s thought to affect around 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children aged between 10 and 11.

Being medically ‘obese’ means you’re very overweight and carrying a lot of body fat. The most widely used method for determining obesity is the body mass index (BMI), which looks at your weight in relation to your height. For most people, BMI is a useful indicator of whether you’re a healthy weight, overweight, or obese. You’re classed as overweight if your BMI is over 25, and obese if you have a BMI over 30. However this is not a useful measurement for people who are very muscular, as they can have a high BMI despite low levels of body fat.

Obesity generally results from the consumption of more calories from food than the body can burn off through physical activity. In modern society, the rise in obesity can be partially attributed to eating excessive amounts of high-calorie foods coupled with a sedentary lifestyle without much exercise. Underlying physical conditions such as an underactive thyroid can also be a factor in weight gain. If you think there is an underlying medical reason for your obesity you should talk to your doctor.

You could be eligible for our weight loss treatments if:

• You are aged 18 to 75
• You have a BMI of over 30+
• Or a BMI of over 27 but have been diagnosed with a condition that is made worse by weight gain, such as a heart condition

The Causes and Consequences of Obesity

It’s true that obesity is caused by too many calories coming in, but it’s often a combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors.

Your genes can play a role in how likely you are to become obese. Over 50 genes are linked to an increased risk of obesity. Many control energy balance in the body, including how you store fat.

Environmental and lifestyle factors, like access to healthy food and physical activity, can also contribute to obesity.

Rarely, some medical conditions can also cause you to gain weight. For example, an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism). Medication for other health conditions, especially steroids, can also make weight gain worse. Make sure to talk to your GP or online doctor if you’re worried.

Obesity can lead to a range of health problems, including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, certain types of cancer, mental health problems, and ultimately reduced life expectancy.

Weight Loss Medication

Lifestyle changes are the number one way to lose weight. But this doesn’t work for everyone. Maybe you need a bit of extra help and weight loss surgery is too drastic?

Prescription weight loss pills, prescription weight loss injections, and off-label medications are some of the weight loss medication types available.

Prescription Weight Loss Pills

Prescription weight loss pills are a medically approved weight loss treatment. This means they have plenty of evidence to show that they work. It also means doctors have a pretty good idea of any side effects they might cause.

To be prescribed weight loss pills, your BMI usually has to be over a certain limit. If you don’t meet the BMI cut-off, you may still be able to get the treatment if you have certain medical conditions.

Often, you need to try to improve your diet and exercise routine before getting a prescription. You should keep trying to eat more healthily and exercise more whilst taking the medication.

Orlistat is the only prescription weight loss pill that’s classed as both safe and effective by the NHS.

Orlistat

Orlistat works by stopping up to a third of food from your diet from being absorbed by the body. Instead of being used for energy or stored, fat passes through you and ends up in your poo.

This can help you maintain a healthy weight but also help you lose weight.

After the first treatment, results can usually be seen after a few days. If you don’t lose weight after 3 months, it’s likely Orlistat isn’t a good weight loss medicine for you.

Common side effects  include stomach pain, pooing and farting more often, oily poo, a sudden urge to poo, and oily discharge from the back passage. Making sure to eat a low-fat diet may help improve these side effects.

Orlistat can affect how other medication is absorbed, including the contraceptive pill and Parkinson’s medications like monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

For an NHS professional to prescribe Orlistat, you must have either a BMI over 30, or a BMI over 28 and another weight-related health condition.

If paying privately and using an online doctor, criteria may be less strict. But if you have kidney problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, or other serious health conditions, you might not be able to take Orlistat.