BHM Winter 2024 Summit Rewind Weighing All Options: Let’s Speak Up About Obesity

Presented by:

Dr. Cee Nicole MD, MSW Diplomate of ABOM; L. Casey FlowersMS, RD, LDN

and Corynne Corbett, Editorial Director, Black Health Matters

Sponsored by Novo Nordisk

Dr. Cee Nicole and Lauren Casey Flowers, MS, RD, LDN, discussed obesity with Black Health Matters editorial director Corynne Corbett at the Black Health Matters Winter 2024 Summit. They discussed various barriers to weight management, including environmental factors and systemic bias in health care. They also explored the limits of extreme dieting and how it leads to weight cycling.

What is holding back honest conversations about weight?

Corbett led the lively conversation about how to have better conversations about weight.

Flowers described how doctors’ preoccupation with weight can cause them to downplay patient concerns about other issues, including their pain. “Fifteen minutes in. It’s losing twenty pounds. I’ll see you in three months and then discuss the knee issue. That is what we call weight bias and weight stigma,” she said. “I think weight bias is one of the hugest reasons why we have difficulty having honest conversations.”

What barriers exist that prevent effective health management?

Dr. Nicole commented on the invisible barriers erected by hereditary factors, environmental challenges, and advanced food industry tactics. Many people who are overweight have family members who have faced similar issues. “There’s the genetic components. Some of us have more fat accumulation than others, who may develop muscle mass more regularly,” she said before explaining how vague marketing terms confuse consumers. “Some foods are made to increase our appetite to increase our hunger. We don’t know that; we know we see the bright, colorful advertisement, and we see. It has eighteen grams of whole grains in here; that might be a good choice.”

She explained that the area you live in and inflation can also prevent you from meeting your goals. “There’s an environmental component to it as well. Do you feel safe going out and taking a walk in your neighborhood? Do you have a park nearby with equipment you can use for free, or will you have to cash out an extra ninety-nine dollars a month to go to the gym?”

Flowers, a registered dietitian, mentioned that the patients she works with can be impacted by the weight gain that can accompany the medications that are part of their treatment plans for health issues. She recommends discussing weight loss plans with your caregiver before settling on a course of action. “Having that discussion with your doctor about weight-neutral medications as well can be an essential part of your weight loss,” she said.

Why should one think twice before yo-yo dieting?

They mentioned the limits of extreme diets to be sustainable for long-term goals. “You’re doing a cabbage diet, so now you think you’ll lose weight. So, and maybe you did because you’re drinking just cabbage, but when you stop, the weight returns,” said the doctor. Their discussion championed the importance of working with a professional to develop a path to lifestyle changes that can be incorporated into one’s day-to-day life.

How You Can Take Action:

The session offered tips for pursuing weight loss proactively and healthily.

• Know your insurance. You can’t properly evaluate your options without knowing what your insurance will not cover. If uninsured, determine what resources you can access before forming a plan.
• Don’t get sidetracked by current issues like a cough or a fever and forget to discuss weight management. Consider scheduling a separate appointment with your provider to discuss your concerns.
• ?Ask for a referral to a dietitian if you want extra support to get the expertise you need.