Obsesity: a view on treatment

Abstract

Obesity is a disease stigmatized by society in general. Many tend not to consider it a disease, which makes it difficult to treat and worsens the pandemic generated by this condition. Considering the seriousness with which health professionals must face this problem, a form was applied to 511 Brazilian academic medical students, to understand how these students see this disease and how to treat it. The results showed that there is a tendency for incoming students to opt for diet therapy associated with physical exercises, while students further on consider the use of drugs associated with diet therapy and physical exercises the best strategy. This shows the importance of medical schools providing solid information about obesity and its treatment, showing that in certain cases it is not enough for the patient to follow a diet and exercise. This change in the view of health professionals, therefore, would be a way to fight the pandemic in question.