It’s important for people who have regained weight to understand that obesity is a chronic, complex disease. “Patients often blame themselves for weight gain. However, it’s not about mind over matter or willpower. Weight gain can happen, even after surgery or with medications because the body’s natural instinct for survival takes over,” says Lisa Dobruskin, MD, FACS, a board certified surgeon specializing in bariatric surgery, and Medical Director of the Center for Bariatric Surgery & Metabolic Medicine at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center.
GOOD NEWS! There are a variety of treatments that can be used in combination—such as bariatric surgery, medication, weight management programs, nutritional counseling, and lifestyle changes—to help you lose weight and keep it off for years to come.
For people experiencing obesity, long-term weight loss often requires a multifaceted approach as the body often fights to maintain a certain weight with mechanisms like
signals from gut bacteria and hunger hormones that can lead to cravings for sweets, fatty foods, and carbohydrates.