Weight Loss

Family physician Sheryl Simpson, DO, encourages patients to strive for optimal health, and sometimes that means losing weight. Dr. Simpson and the team at Howell Family Care offer nutritional management and other weight-loss programs to help you shed extra pounds in a safe, effective manner. To discover how weight loss can improve your life, call or book an appointment online at the Howell, Michigan, office.

Weight Loss Q & A

What is obesity?

Obesity is a term that describes too much body fat. It’s easy to determine whether or not you’re obese by measuring your body mass index (BMI) with an online BMI calculator. Before doing this, you need to know your weight and height.

If your BMI falls between 25 and 29.9, you’re overweight, but not obese. A BMI of 30 or above indicates obesity, while a BMI of 40 or above means you’re very obese.

Why is obesity a health problem?

Obesity is a widespread health problem that may lead to serious, even life-threatening, complications. Compared to people with a normal body weight, people with obesity are at greater risk for many severe medical conditions, such as:

• Heart disease and stroke

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol

• Gallbladder disease

• Type 2 diabetes

• Osteoarthritis

• Sleep apnea

• Mental illness

• Joint pain

• Low quality of life

Obesity is also a risk factor for several types of cancer, including breast, endometrial, colon, and liver cancers.

How can weight loss improve my health?

If you are obese, or even if you’re just overweight, losing even a small percentage of excess body fat can make a tremendous difference in how you look and feel.

Many men, women, and even children want to lose weight for an improved appearance. While this is a benefit that often leads to increased self-esteem, weight loss improves your overall well-being in many ways.

Studies show that even modest weight loss, as little as 5-10% of your original weight, improves your health. Weight loss can improve your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, reducing your risk of several chronic diseases.