Obesity+Epidemic

**Linda Blessing (Facilitator/Researcher) ** **Nicole Creasy (Editor/Researcher) ** **Mike Davis (Critical Friend/Researcher) ** **Genesis Arroyo (Editor/Researcher) ** **Georgiann Weiss (Critical Friend/Researcher) ** **Jennifer Snoberger (Facilitator/Researcher) **

**Obesity and Overweight ** **Facts ** Obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally, with more than 1 billion adults overweight - at least 300 million of them clinically obese - and is a major contributor to the global burden of chronic disease and disability. Often coexisting in developing countries with under-nutrition, obesity is a complex condition, with serious social and psychological dimensions, affecting virtually all ages and socioeconomic groups. Increased consumption of more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, have led to obesity rates that have risen three-fold or more since 1980 in some areas of North America, the United Kingdom, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Pacific Islands, Australasia and China. The obesity epidemic is not restricted to industrialized societies; this increase is often faster in developing countries than in the developed world.
 * Globally, there are more than 1 billion overweight adults, at least 300 million of them obese.
 * Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer.
 * The key causes are increased consumption of energy-dense foods high in saturated fats and sugars, and reduced physical activity.

Obesity and overweight pose a major risk for serious diet-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension and stroke, and certain forms of cancer. The health consequences range from increased risk of premature death, to serious chronic conditions that reduce the overall quality of life. Of special concern is the increasing incidence of child obesity. (WHO, 2010)

**//References: //** WHO. (2010). World Health Organization. //Obesity and Overweight – Facts.// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-weight: normal;">Jennifer Snoberger (Facilitator/Researcher) **<span style="color: #365f91; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Obesity Discussion ** ( Banville, 2008) <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">1) What comes to mind when you hear the word ‘obesity’? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">2) What do you know about obesity? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">3) How much of a problem is obesity in your country? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">4) Which people in your country are obese? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">5) Why is obesity bad for your health? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">6) Why is obesity increasing? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">7) What should governments do to combat obesity? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">8) Do you think obese people should pay higher medical charges? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">9) Why don’t parents do enough to stop their children from becoming obese? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">10) Is obesity immoral when so many people in the world are starving? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">11) Which is worse, obesity or anorexia? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">12) Should schools ban junk food to fight obesity? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">13) Do you think obesity will be more of a problem in the future? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">14) Do you think there are any drugs that can reduce obesity? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">15) Do you think children should be taken into care if their parents let them become obese? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">16) Do you see any relationship between obesity and video games? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">17) Should there be a “fat tax” on food that is very high in calories? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">18) What do you think of the “big is beautiful” phenomena in the USA? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">19) Is obesity a disease or a choice? <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">20) Do you think obese people should have special seats in airplanes and pay more money?

<span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Retrieved from: [|www.eslDiscussions.com] <span style="font-family: Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif;">Mike Davis (Critical Friend/Researcher)

media type="youtube" key="yDbocZ438f0" width="425" height="350" ABC News, Obesity in America. //YouTube// Video. Referenced from: []

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Obesity is a term used to describe body weight that is much greater than what is considered healthy. If you are obese, you have a much higher amount of body fat than is healthy or desirable.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Adults with a body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) greater than 25 kg/m2 but less than 30 kg/m2 are considered overweight.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Adults with a BMI greater than 30 kg/m2 are considered obese.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Anyone who is more than 100 pounds overweight or who has a BMI greater than 40 kg/m2 is considered morbidly obese.  **<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Alternative Names ****<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">- Morbid obesity; Fat - obese **  **<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Causes ** <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Consuming more calories than you burn leads to being overweight and, eventually, obesity. The body stores unused calories as fat. Obesity can be the result of: · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Eating more food than your body can use · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Drinking too much alcohol · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Not getting enough exercise <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">An underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism) may lead to weight gain, but usually only 5 - 10 pounds of weight. Some anidepressants and antipsychotic medicines may also contribute to weight gain and obesity. Genetic factors play some part in the development of obesity -- children of obese parents are 10 times more likely to be obese than children with parents of normal weight. <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">People who are at higher risk for obesity include: · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Lower income groups · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Former smokers · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">People with chronic mental illness · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">People with disabilities · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">People with a sedentary lifestyle  <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history, eating habits, and exercise routine.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Skin fold measurements may be taken to check your body fat percentage.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Blood tests may be done to look for thyroid or endocrine problems, which could lead to weight gain.  **<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Treatment ****<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">s ** **<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Diet ** <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A combination of dieting and exercise (when you stick to it) appears to work better than either one alone. Sticking to a weight reduction program is difficult and requires a lot of support from family and friends.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">When dieting, your main goal should be to learn new, healthy ways of eating and make them a part of your everyday routine. Work with your doctor and nutritionist to set realistic, safe daily calorie counts that assure both weight loss and good nutrition. Remember that if you drop pounds slowly and steadily, you are more likely to keep them off. Your nutritionist can teach you about healthy food choices, appropriate portion sizes, and new ways to prepare food.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Even modest weight loss can improve your health. Most people can lose weight by eating a healthier diet, exercising more, and adopting new behaviors such as keeping a food diary, avoiding food triggers, and thinking positively.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The decision to keep fit requires a lifelong commitment of time and effort.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Patience is essential.

__<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Several simple behavioral changes can have an impact on your weight loss success: __ · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Eat only at the table. No snacking in front of the TV, in bed, while driving, or while standing in front of the open refrigerator. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Learn about appropriate portion sizes. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Choose low-calorie snacks, such as raw vegetables. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Consider learning meditation or yoga as a way of managing stress, rather than snacking. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Find ways to socialize and enjoy your friends and family that don't involve a meal or dessert. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Consider keeping a diet and exercise journal. This may help you identify overeating triggers in your life. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Find a support group or consider psychotherapy to help support you in the difficult but worthy goal of weight loss.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Exercise ** <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Exercise is a major mood lifter, a great way to burn energy, and a way to strengthen your bones. Exercise can also help you manage high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes. <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Avoid a sedentary lifestyle by increasing your activity level. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Perform aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Increase your physical activity by walking, rather than driving. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Climb stairs instead of using an elevator or escalator. · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Always talk to your health care provider before starting an exercise program.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Medications and Herbal Remedies ** <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There are many over-the-counter diet products. Most do not work and some can be dangerous. Before using one of these products, talk to your health care provider.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Several prescription weight loss drugs are available. Such medicines include subutramine (Meridia) and orlistat (Xenical). Ask your health care provider if these are right for you.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Usually, you can lose between 5 and 10 pounds by taking these drugs. People usually regain the weight when they stop taking the medication, unless they have made lasting lifestyle changes.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 130%;">Surgery ** <span style="background: #ff00ff; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-decoration: line-through;"> <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Weight-loss surgery may be an option if you are very obese and have not been able to lose weight through diet and exercise. However, these surgeries are not a "quick fix" for obesity. You must still be committed to diet and exercise after the surgery. Talk to your doctor to learn if this is a good option for you.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The two most common weight-loss surgeries are: · __<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Laparoscopic gastric banding - __<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"> the surgeon places a band around the upper part of your stomach, creating a small pouch to hold food. The band limits the amount of food you can eat by making you feel full after eating small amounts of food. · __<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Gastric bypass surgery - __<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;"> helps you lose weight by changing how your stomach and small intestine handle the food you eat. After the surgery, you will not be able to eat as much as before, and your body will not absorb all the calories and other nutrients from the food you eat.  <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Obesity is a significant health threat. The extra weight puts added stress on all parts of your body.

<span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Medical problems commonly resulting from untreated obesity and morbid obesity include: · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep disorders · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Certain cancers, including breast and colon · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Depression · <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%;">Osteoarthritis <span style="background: white; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; line-height: 130%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Extreme obesity can lead to a gradual decrease in the level of oxygen in your blood, a condition called hypoxemia. Decreased blood oxygen levels and sleep apnea may cause a person to feel sleepy during the day. These conditions may also lead to high blood pressure and pulmonary hypertensions. In extreme cases, especially when left untreated, this can lead to right-sided heart failure and ultimately death. (A.D.A.M., 2010)  <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">A.D.A.M. (2010) Google Health. //Obesity.// Retrieved from: [] <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-weight: normal;">Jennifer Snoberger (Facilitator/Researcher) **

**<span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation Fact Sheet ** <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Today’s epidemic of overweight and obesity threatens the historic progress we have made in increasing American’s quality and years of healthy life. The hard facts:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Two-thirds of adults and nearly one in three children are overweight or obese.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">70% of American Indian/Alaskan Native adults are overweight or obese.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">The prevalence of obesity in the U.S. more than doubled (from 15% to 34%) among adults and more than tripled (from 5% to 17%) among children and adolescents from 1980 to 2008.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">An obese teenager has over a 70% greater risk of becoming an obese adult.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Obesity is more common among non-Hispanic black teenagers (29%) than Hispanic teenagers (17.5%) or non-Hispanic white teenagers (14.5%).

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">To stop the obesity epidemic in this country, we must remember that Americans will be more likely to change their behavior if they have a meaningful reward- something more than just reaching a certain weight or dress size. The real reward has to be something that people can feel and enjoy and celebrate. That reward is invigorating, energizing, joyous health. It is a level of health that allows people to embrace each day and live their lives to the fullest – without disease, disability, or lost productivity. To be a nation that is Healthy and Fit.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Key actions outlined in //The Surgeon General’s Vision for a Healthy and Fit Nation// include:

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Individual Healthy Choices and Healthy Home Environments ** <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- Change starts with the individual choices Americans make each day for themselves, their families and those around them. To help achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle, Americans of all ages should: reduce consumption of sodas and juices with added sugars; eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins; drink more water and choose low-fat or non-fat dairy products; limit television time to no more than 2 hours per day; and be more physically active.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Creating Healthy Child Care Settings **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- It is estimated that over 12 million children ages 0–6 years receive some form of child care on a regular basis from someone other than their parents. Child care programs should identify and implement approaches that reflect expert recommendations on physical activity, screen time limitations, good nutrition, and healthy sleep practices. Parents should talk with their child care providers about changes to promote their children’s health.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Creating Healthy Schools **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- Each school day provides multiple opportunities for students to learn about health and practice healthy behaviors such as regular physical activity and good nutrition. To help students develop life-long healthy habits, schools should provide appealing healthy food options including fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, water and low-fat or non-fat beverages. School systems should also require daily physical education for students allowing 150 minutes per week for elementary schools and 225 minutes per week for secondary schools.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Creating Healthy Work Sites **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- The majority of the 140 million men and women who are employed in the United States spend a significant amount of time each week at their work site. Because obesity reduces worker productivity and increases health care costs, employers are becoming more aware of the need to help promote health within the workplace. Employers can implement wellness programs that promote healthy eating in cafeterias, encourage physical activity through group classes and stairwell programs and create incentives for employees to participate.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Mobilizing the Medical Community **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- Doctors and other health care providers are often the most trusted source of health information and are powerful role models for healthy lifestyle habits. Medical care providers must make it a priority to teach their patients about the importance of good health. When discussing patients’ Body Mass Index (BMI), providers should explain the connection between BMI and increased risk for disease and, when appropriate, refer patients to resources that will help them meet their physical, nutritional, and psychological needs.

**<span style="color: #e36c0a; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Improving Our Communities **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">- Americans need to live and work in environments that help them practice healthy behaviors. Neighborhoods and communities should become actively involved in creating healthier environments. Communities should consider the geographic availability of their supermarkets, improving residents' access to outdoor recreational facilities, limiting advertisements of less healthy foods and beverages, building and enhancing infrastructures to support more walking and bicycling, and improving the safety of neighborhoods to facilitate outdoor physical activity. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">### <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at [|//http://www.hhs.gov/news//].

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Taken from: []

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">On the US Dept. of Health & Human Services Website there is a** “The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation & Treatment of Overweight & Obesity in Adults” ** (click on the link below) by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">[] <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">**<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-weight: normal;">Linda Blessing (Researcher) **



Compare our stats to these other countries world wide. Significant differences you think?

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Patient: Leslie Sutton, Boca Raton, FL <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Clinician: Kathryn Martin, M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Specialty: Reproductive Endocrinology
 * <span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">[[image:suc.JPG]]
 * <span style="color: #0070c0; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 14pt;">Ms. Leslie Sutton and Dr. Kathryn Martin **

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">At 5’6” and 135 lbs., Leslie Sutton, 41, doesn’t look like someone with an obesity problem. But Leslie’s current weight loss maintenance and positive attitude are the result of hard work and a 12-year partnership with her endocrinologist, Dr. Kathryn Martin.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Leslie has polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS. PCOS is a hormone disorder characterized by irregular menstrual periods, a high level of androgens, or “male” hormones, and the presence on ultrasound of multiple small cysts on the ovaries.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Women with PCOS are often labeled with obesity, may have unusual or excessive hair growth (also known as hirsutism), and are at increased risk for insulin resistance, diabetes, and fertility problems.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">For Leslie, the problems began with her first period. “I was 12 or 13 when I got my first period and my whole body just went wacky,” she says. “I was gaining weight. I had horrible acne and was growing this hair and getting really depressed. It was awful.” <span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Unfortunately for Leslie, her condition began at a time when little was known about PCOS. She recalls one of her first physicians explaining that her problem with PCOS was hormonal, but that was all the information he was able to provide. Without answers, Leslie spent the next decade struggling with weight loss issues and spiraling self-esteem. By the time she graduated from college and married, she was desperate for help.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“I grew up in New York and was very involved in theater. In the years after my periods started, I went from being this outgoing, warm, intelligent girl to a very shy, overweight woman with an eating disorder. I lived in a cloistered world. I couldn’t go on auditions. It was all so overwhelming.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Encouraged by her family and friends, Leslie started to seek out doctors who could help. By her own estimate, she saw nearly 20 different doctors in her search for answers. She had physical exams, psychiatric evaluations and saw a series of specialists. According to Leslie, early tests showed slight differences in her hormone levels, but the science at the time was not yet honed enough to detect PCOS.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Then, as a young wife struggling to conceive, a fertility specialist finally put a name to her condition. For Leslie, learning she had PCOS was just the beginning. She still needed information on how to manage PCOS.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">"My heaviest weight was 240 and five years after having my twins, I still weighed around 200 lbs.,” she says. “So, I went back to the endocrine experts at Massachusetts General Hospital and they sent me to Dr. Martin.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“Leslie really wanted answers,” says Dr. Martin. “Although fertility was no longer an issue, she was very concerned about her weight, acne, and hirsutism.” According to Dr. Martin, Leslie’s obesity also put her at risk for diabetes and other problems high cholesterol, hypertension, thyroid disease. Together, Dr. Martin and Leslie began to address her medical problems and weight loss treatment needs, and Leslie also found some much needed understanding.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“PCOS is so personal for women. You almost don’t feel like a woman. You have facial hair and you feel fat and ugly and no one seems to know what to do with you,” she says. “Finding Dr. Martin literally changed my life. No other doctor knew what Dr. Martin knew back then. She was awesome. She listened to me. She stays up on the research and enabled me to have a comprehensive plan for my recovery. For me that’s what it was, a recovery.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">While she considers her PCOS and obesity situation a “recovery,” it’s important to note that polycystic ovary syndrome is a life-long condition that needs constant attention. In fact, Dr. Martin coordinated a team of specialists who helped Leslie address her obesity, skin care and emotional needs. Leslie worked with dieticians, psychopharmacologists, dermatologists and her Ob/Gyn. Together, Leslie and Dr. Martin also reviewed new research, evaluated options and tried alternative approaches to managing and treating Leslie’s PCOS and obesity issues.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“At first, Leslie was more dependent on my advice, but over time she became her own best advocate,” says Dr. Martin. “She does research and participates in support groups, and she’s worked very, very hard to manage her weight. She looks absolutely wonderful.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Leslie joined Overeaters Anonymous, saw a dietician, and took medicines to control her hormones and other aspects of PCOS. This combination of approaches worked. Leslie was successful in her weight loss efforts and is now at a clinically healthy weight and has avoided typical PCOS complications like diabetes and high cholesterol.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“Obesity and PCOS are related – so managing the obesity made it easier to deal with Leslie’s care of her polycystic ovary syndrome,” says Dr. Martin. “There’s no single answer for every PCOS patient, so it’s important that women see a specialist, an endocrinologist, who has experience treating the disorder.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Today, Leslie is a healthy, happy mother of two who devotes much of her time volunteering as a mentor to young women who, like her, have struggled with weight loss and body image. She says having a daughter has only reinforced her belief in how important it is to be healthy and to work with the right kind of healthcare team that helps to approach difficult problems head on.

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">“Dr. Martin and I have a relationship. She is kind, gentle and passionate. Her supportive energy and knowledge of PCOS really helped me.”

<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Despite having left Boston for the sunnier climate of Florida, Leslie still sees Dr. Martin regularly, although it now requires a plane ticket to make her appointments. (Sutton,2010) ||

__ **<span style="font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-weight: normal;">Sources ** __

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