Targeted Disease Management

Obesity

Almost 65% of Americans are either overweight or obese. After smoking, obesity is the second most preventable cause of death in the United States. Obese individuals have a higher rate of excess bodyweight, and have an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), 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.

In the presence of disease or injury the body's requirements for nutritional components are changed. Obese patients may have increased requirements for histidine, the precursor to histamine, and tyrosine the precursor to norepinephrine. Appetite, feelings of satiety and carbohydrate cravings are under the control of specific neurotransmitters that are often deficient in obese patients. Physician Therapeutics Medical Food products can manage the increased nutritional requirements associated with metabolic syndrome by restoring the balance of specific neurotransmitters needed to safely and effectively suppress appetite in obese patients.