Biology of obesity and weight regain: Implications for clinical practice

Weight loss is recommended as first-line therapy for many chronic illnesses, including obesity. Most patients who do successfully lose weight are unable to maintain their reduced weight. Recent research findings are reviewed and synthesized to explain the biology of obesity, adaptation to weight loss, and weight regain.

Weight regain is a common consequence of successful weight loss. Current obesity management strategies fail to take into consideration the underlying genetic and environmental causes of obesity. Available treatment modalities create a negative energy balance that stimulates integrated, persistent neurologic, endocrine, muscle, and adipose tissue adaptation to restore body weight and fat mass, independent of lifestyle changes.

Understanding the pathophysiology of obesity and weight loss alters nurse practitioners' responsibilities in caring for patients with obesity. They are responsible for expanding assessment and intervention strategies and offering people with obesity realistic expectations for weight loss and regain. They are obligated to explain weight regain when it occurs to minimize patient frustration. Nurse practitioners have the opportunity to adopt new approaches to patient advocacy, especially in the areas of public policy to improve diagnostic tools and adjunctive therapy for people with obesity.