Patient guide · Obesity and weight
Obesity and weight: what good care looks like
Obesity is a chronic disease with effective treatments, including FDA-approved GLP-1 medicines. Here is what guideline-based care includes and why compounded versions are a red flag.
What obesity is, in plain language
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What the current guidelines recommend
The main guideline is AACE/ACE Clinical Practice Guidelines for Obesity. **
The treatments, and why each one is recommended
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What guideline-based care looks like at a visit
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Red flags that a clinician is not following the guidelines
- Compounded semaglutide or tirzepatide instead of FDA-approved products
- Peptides, injections, or supplements sold in the office
- No monitoring plan, no nutrition or activity plan
- Promises of a specific number of pounds in a specific time
Why choosing a guideline-based clinician matters
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Questions to ask your doctor
- Which guideline do you follow for obesity, and what year is it from?
- Which of the recommended treatments am I on, and if not, why not?
- What targets are we aiming for, and how will we track them?
- What should make me call you before my next visit?
- Do you sell any supplements or compounded medicines? (A guideline-based clinic does not.)
Find a vetted weight loss doctor near you
Every weight loss doctor on DoctorDirectory.ai is license-verified, board-certified, and has signed a dated attestation to these guidelines. No patient reviews or star ratings, just facts you can check.
The guidelines behind this guide
Summaries in plain language, with links to the official documents and PDFs.
American Gastroenterological Association · 2022
AGA Clinical Practice Guideline on Pharmacological Interventions for Adults With Obesity
- Reviews the trial evidence for each FDA-approved weight-loss medicine and recommends them, with lifestyle care, for adults with obesity.
- Semaglutide and other GLP-1-based medicines showed the largest weight loss; phentermine-topiramate, naltrexone-bupropion, and others are also supported.
- Recommends against orlistat for most patients because of small benefit and side effects.
Read the guidelinedoi:10.1053/j.gastro.2022.08.045Endocrine Society · 2015
Pharmacological Management of Obesity: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline
- Anti-obesity medicines are appropriate for people with BMI 30 or more, or 27 or more with a weight-related condition, alongside lifestyle care.
- Only FDA-approved medicines should be used, and a medicine that has not produced 5 percent weight loss by 12 weeks should be stopped or changed.
- Explains which common medicines for other conditions cause weight gain and what to switch to.
Read the guidelinedoi:10.1210/jc.2014-3415AHA / ACC / The Obesity Society · 2013
2013 AHA/ACC/TOS Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults
- Losing 5 to 10 percent of body weight meaningfully improves blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
- A structured lifestyle program (diet, activity, behavior support) for at least 6 months is the foundation.
- Bariatric surgery is an option for BMI 40 or more, or 35 or more with a weight-related condition.
Find a vetted weight loss doctor near you
Every weight loss doctor listed has a verified license, board certifications on record, and a dated attestation to these guidelines. No reviews, no ratings.