Targeted Disease Management

Metabolic Syndrome

Almost 65% of Americans are either overweight or obese. After smoking, obesity is the second most preventable cause of death in our country. Obese individuals have an excess amount of body fat, which is known to increase the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, stroke, and some cancers. Additionally, the cost of care, for obese patients is about 38% higher than the cost of caring for non-obese patients. Obesity is associated with an inability to control appetite, satiety, and carbohydrate cravings and is one component of metabolic syndrome.

In the presence of disease or injury the body's requirements for nutritional components are altered. Morbidly obese patients may have increased requirements for histidine, and tyrosine, the precursors of histamine and norepinephrine. Appetite, feelings of satiety and carbohydrate cravings are under the control of specific neurotransmitters that are often present in morbidly obese patients. Physician Therapeutics medical food products can help control appetite and thus weight gain, by addressing the increased nutritional requirements needed to restore the balance of specific neurotransmitters that may safely and effectively suppress appetite in morbidly obese patients with metabolic syndrome.