Family Medicine's Strategies for Geriatric Obesity and Its Complications

Abstract

The fastest-growing demographic category, older persons, currently has increasing obesity rates, raising concerns about public health. For older persons, a vitally relevant outcome is obesity in later life, which increases the likelihood of reduced physical function, significantly affecting daily life. Patients who are obese and disabled often experience impaired mobility, muscle weakness, and an increased risk of falling. Moreover, sarcopenia and obesity are linked to a lower quality of life and higher mortality among the elderly. There are various approaches used in family medicine practice to lay the groundwork for the development of an organised clinical pathway for the primary care management of overweight and obesity. It is advised to implement a multifaceted, all-encompassing lifestyle strategy that includes calorie restriction, increased physical activity, and interventions to assist behaviour change for a minimum of six to twelve months. Long-term weight maintenance treatments are required after weight loss. Diet, exercise, self-management, and/or combination approaches with different therapy modalities, delivery methods, and dosages are the core emphasis of lifestyle interventions. Early diagnosis and prompt management are crucial for the prevention of complications in this vulnerable cohort; hence, family physicians being the first point of contact are critically important in this regard. Addressing geriatric obesity and its complications with family physicians is crucial for improving the health outcomes, quality of life, and overall well-being of older adults. Pharmacological therapies are also recommended when lifestyle modifications fail to achieve the desired outcome/goal. Through this review paper, we aim to analyze the existing literature regarding diverse strategies employed by family physicians in their practice for the management of geriatric obesity and its associated complications.

Keywords: older, obesity, family physician, lifestyle, management

The fastest-growing demographic category, older persons, currently has increasing obesity rates, raising concerns about public health. For older persons, a vitally relevant outcome is obesity in later life, which increases the likelihood of reduced physical function, significantly affecting daily life. Patients who are obese and disabled often experience impaired mobility, muscle weakness, and an increased risk of falling. Moreover, sarcopenia and obesity are linked to a lower quality of life and higher mortality among the elderly. There are various approaches used in family medicine practice to lay the groundwork for the development of an organised clinical pathway for the primary care management of overweight and obesity. It is advised to implement a multifaceted, all-encompassing lifestyle strategy that includes calorie restriction, increased physical activity, and interventions to assist behaviour change for a minimum of six to twelve months. Long-term weight maintenance treatments are required after weight loss. Diet, exercise, self-management, and/or combination approaches with different therapy modalities, delivery methods, and dosages are the core emphasis of lifestyle interventions. Early diagnosis and prompt management are crucial for the prevention of complications in this vulnerable cohort; hence, family physicians being the first point of contact are critically important in this regard. Addressing geriatric obesity and its complications with family physicians is crucial for improving the health outcomes, quality of life, and overall well-being of older adults. Pharmacological therapies are also recommended when lifestyle modifications fail to achieve the desired outcome/goal. Through this review paper, we aim to analyze the existing literature regarding diverse strategies employed by family physicians in their practice for the management of geriatric obesity and its associated complications.