Archana Anand, M.D., is a physician with UPMC Hamot's Greenfield Internal Medicine. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO] ▲

Even a relatively small weight loss can reduce the chances of weight-related illnesses.

Obesity is an epidemic, both around the world and here in Pennsylvania.

Defined as a chronic, progressive, multifactorial disease characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, obesity is increasing in prevalence in adults, adolescents and children. In Pennsylvania, the obesity rate is close to 40 percent.

Obesity is associated with multiple morbidities, such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, and many chronic and debilitating diseases. But even a 5 to 10 percent weight loss can significantly improve the incidence of these conditions.

The four pillars of obesity management include diet, exercise, behavior control and, in some cases, weight-loss medications.

Your physician should first determine your starting point, which includes your weight and waist circumference. Body mass index is calculated from your height and weight. A person with a BMI of 30 or more is considered to have obesity.

Steps essential for success include a prescribed diet, dietary counseling in the first year, food journaling and continued surveillance by both clinicians and patient.

A multicomponent exercise program that includes aerobic and resistance training is recommended. As always, any type of physical activity, under a physician's supervision, is better than none.

Behavior therapy is a very important part of obesity treatment. The goal of therapy is to help patients make long-term changes in their eating behavior by modifying and monitoring their food intake, modifying their physical activity, and controlling cues and stimuli in the environment that trigger eating.

It's important to have a discussion with your provider to identify the behavior that may be causing or making it difficult for you to lose weight: do you have any trigger foods, cravings or compulsions?

What are your challenges: No time to exercise or meal plan? Is stress or boredom a factor? Again, keeping a food journal helps greatly in recognizing and addressing these behaviors.

Weight-loss medicines may be recommended for people who have not been able to lose weight with diet and exercise and have not lost at least 5 percent of total body weight after three to six months. Of course, the decision to initiate drug therapy should be individualized and made after careful evaluation of the patient's risks and benefits.

Working with a physician who will supervise your weight-loss plan and treat any weight-related medical conditions is strongly suggested.

Archana Anand, M.D., is a physician with UPMC Hamot's Greenfield Internal Medicine.