A recent U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) news release reported that as of 2023, one in three adults (35%) in 23 states were clinically obese (body mass index of 30 or higher). In its release, the CDC noted that “no state had an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%” before 2013. While Florida wasn’t among the 23 states named in the release, the United Health Foundation put the state’s 2023 obesity prevalence at 30.1%, which is concerning from a medical perspective.

Consider that the CDC’s release called obesity a “complex disease” that “can cause many health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and severe outcomes from respiratory illnesses.” If obesity is a disease, shouldn’t it be managed by healthcare professionals?

Health + Glow lead physician Dr. Swapna M. Kallikadan certainly thinks so. “Primary care physicians are uniquely qualified to help patients effectively lose weight safely,” says Dr. Kallikadan. “Everyone is different, and weight loss efforts through diet and exercise are often stymied by genetics, metabolism, hormones, medical conditions, physical limitations, lifestyle, and other factors. A doctor can assess all these factors with the patient’s unique health profile to personalize a weight loss and management plan that shreds the pounds and optimizes overall health.”

If this has you ready to Google “weight management doctor near me,” know that Dr. Kallikadan specializes in medical weight loss at her Tampa, Florida, internal medicine practice. Her clinic offers personalized weight management as a stand-alone medical service and an add-on feature in its new Elite Care program. Let’s look closer at how primary care for weight loss can help you achieve your goals and boost your health.

Your Weight Loss Begins with a Comprehensive Health Assessment

Your personalized medical weight loss in Tampa begins with a comprehensive health assessment and risk analysis. This entails an examination of your medical history, current health profile, family health history, lifestyle habits, diet, existing medical conditions, and medications. Your primary care physician will conduct diagnostic testing to determine if hormone activity or metabolic rate might be influencing weight and to see if any underlying issues like thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, or high cholesterol could be having an impact. They will also take weight, BMI, and waist circumference measurements to serve as a baseline for assessing the progress of your medical weight loss efforts.

Develop a Personalized Holistic Weight Loss Plan

Once the baseline is established, your doctor should develop a personalized weight management plan that accounts for all factors influencing the disposition of your weight and efforts to lose it. Most primary care weight loss doctors, like Dr. Kallikadan, take a holistic approach that melds weight loss efforts with optimizing patient health. This includes developing a diet plan tailored to the patient’s metabolism, nutritional needs, medical concerns, food preferences, and weight loss goals. It also involves setting up safe, effective exercise routines that account for the patient’s fitness level, metabolism, and medical conditions, while still producing weight loss results.

Consider Medications and Other Medical Interventions as Needed

Because diet, exercise, and other lifestyle modifications don’t work for all patients, Dr. Kallikadan and other medical weight loss physicians turn to medications and other medical interventions, when needed. They may offer specific FDA-approved weight-loss medications—such as semaglutide—to spur weight loss results or turn to hormone replacement therapy if hormonal imbalances may be affecting the patient’s weight and ability to lose it.

In some cases, weight loss physicians turn to outside medical support. For example, some patients struggle with emotional or psychological issues that can influence their weight management. Thus, your doctor might refer you to a psychologist or other counselor to help overcome binge-eating disorders, emotional eating, or stress-related dietary factors. With patients facing imminent dire health risks due to severe obesity or weight-related health complications, your doctor may refer you to an endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist, or bariatric surgeon for further evaluation.

Ongoing Monitoring Crucial for Ensuring Weight Management Success

Effective medical weight loss management focuses on long-term success with ongoing checkups to track progress, assess overall health, ensure the personalized weight-loss plan is working, and make modifications where needed. If a patient has setbacks or reaches a plateau before meeting their goals, your doctor can identify the underlying cause and revise the plan accordingly.

Meet Your Weight Loss Goals in Tampa with Health + Glow

Health + Glow physicians and staff strive to offer the best medical weight loss in Tampa in conjunction with top-notch personalized primary care. In addition to our primary care services in our relaxed, state-of-the-art clinic, our facility includes a medical spa and IV therapy station to provide patients with a full range of health and beauty treatments. To experience the best in primary medical care in Tampa, schedule an appointment today.