Tag: Obesity

There is no question that obesity has reached a critical level and dramatic personal and societal changes are needed. Not so long ago I was asked “What an orthopedic spine surgeon knows about nutrition?”  Although I believe most physicians should be experts in nutrition, the question was actually not that surprising because the standard medical school curriculum spends very little time discussing nutrition as it relates to overall health. As a former athlete, I had a strong interest in nutrition from a performance standpoint but also because I have struggled significantly myself with weight.  At one point my own obesity had serious negative effects on my health. As a result, understanding nutrition from a multidisciplinary standpoint became my passion. I ... Continue

  Being overweight is not harmless – excess fat is the major factor responsible for insulin resistance and resultant type 2 diabetes, and a risk factor for a plethora of conditions including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol, liver disease, gallbladder disease, respiratory problems, arthritis, and infertility. Obesity is thought to be responsible for over 100,000 new cancer cases each year in the U.S. alone, and both overweight and obesity are associated with a greater risk of death from all causes.   Recent findings in the field of obesity research have given us two more reasons to keep one’s weight in check: Excess weight may restrict blood flow to certain areas of the brain, impairing brain function and possibly fueling ... Continue