Obese individuals often face unique challenges in the employment sector, experiencing hiring discrimination and wage disparities directly relating to stereotypes surrounding obesity. The impact of weight discrimination extends to many aspects of employment including hiring decisions, workplace interactions, salary, and career advancement opportunities. Hiring Discrimination People with obesity often encounter significant barriers during the hiring process, as weight bias inaccurately influences perceptions of competence, professionalism, and suitability for employment. Hiring managers may harb ..read more

In the realm of health and wellness battling obesity and diabetes, I meet a lot of great people who find themselves navigating a complex landscape of treatments and interventions. It seems as though options abound, ranging from pharmaceutical drugs touted on every TV channel to surgical procedures. In recent years, two approaches have garnered attention for their efficacy in addressing weight management and type 2 diabetes: medications like Ozempic (semaglutide) and bariatric surgeries such as sleeve gastrectomy. Today, I am exploring the journey of individuals who have tried Ozempic, Wegovy o ..read more

I’ve been fortunate to have a few ideas for how to improve surgical care that have led to new device efforts. But the path from a good idea to a new instrument in the hands of surgeons is a formidable one. From ideation to market launch, the journey of a new surgical device is a multifaceted process that usually fails. Success usually involves some good luck, meticulous planning, rigorous research, and commitment to the project. Wondering how it works? Today, I’m sharing the evolution of a surgical device from its inception to its successful integration into clinical practice. It Starts With A ..read more

Enough people have asked me why on earth adult diapers as so expensive, so I did a little digging. There are, as you might imagine, several factors contributing to the seemingly crazy excessive cost of adult diapers that millions of Americans must buy because of bladder and bowel leakage. Let’s review. Factors Driving Up The Cost Of Adult Diapers Inflation: No shocker, but inflation means everything is more expensive these days in dollar terms, from labor costs to materials costs to transportation costs. With each year adding up, diapers in many cases are 30% more expensive than 4 years ..read more

A recent study commented on the increased risk of depression among people with obesity, an association we have long observed in clinical practice. Previous research indicates that depression and obesity tend to run together, meaning that the heavier we are, the more likely we are to be depressed. But the reverse is also true: the more we lose some of that weight and move toward a healthier weight, the more likely the depression is to lift. Wondering why? The Mind-Body Connection There is, undoubtedly, a lot of mind-body chemistry at work that connects our mood to the rest of our physical healt ..read more

Let’s face it: dogs are the absolute best. And as an expert in incontinence, I can confidently say that dog-walking can indeed be a beneficial form of pelvic floor exercise, particularly for humans. Let me explain. The Pelvic Floor Benefits Of Walking Your Dog Consistent movement. Dog-walking involves consistent movement, which is key to strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. As you walk, your pelvic floor muscles are engaged to stabilize your pelvis and support your posture. Variety of terrain. Walking your dog often involves navigating different terrains such as sidewalks, parks, trails, a ..read more

Despite the successes of GLP-1 medications and bariatric surgery, the obesity epidemic continues as a public health disaster globally. The prevalence of obesity long ago reached alarming levels, needlessly killing 300,000 Americans annually, and leading to appallingly increased morbidity and healthcare costs. If we truly wish to reduce the dreadful increases in stroke, heart attack, and degenerative joint disease obesity has brought us, it is time to recognize the impact of environmental factors, termed obesogenic factors, in driving this epidemic. To combat obesity effectively, we must stop b ..read more

Today I saw a wonderful patient who recently turned 70 and decided it was finally time to do something about her overactive bladder problem, after more than ten years of leakage, pads and getting up at night. The good news is her trouble can be solved with a simple 20-minute procedure, but I had to ask why it had taken so long to seek help. Research shows that many individuals, particularly women, often delay seeking help for overactive bladder, bowel leakage, or bladder leakage due to several factors, which can be both physical and psychological in nature. Let’s review. Common Reasons People ..read more

The minimum weight for bariatric surgery is often a lot lower than people think. And it is not because the surgeons just want to do more cases or make more money, but rather because the health data shows unambiguously that illness goes down and health improves after bariatric surgery—even at lower weights than we once imagined. The Newest Guidelines For Minimum Weight Requirements The newest guidelines do not generally start with weight exactly but instead use the body mass index or BMI. The BMI is calculated in the metric system using kilograms then divided by our height in meters with that n ..read more

The pelvic floor is getting more recognition, and rightfully so. According to a recent article in The New York Times, nearly one in three women suffers from a pelvic floor disorder, most commonly urinary or bowel incontinence, pain or prolapse. The article goes on to offer a series of helpful exercises that coordinate breathing and movement, which may help mitigate pelvic floor problems— including incontinence. What Are Pelvic Floor Exercises? Pelvic floor exercises, often known as Kegel exercises, are a fundamental component of strengthening the core and addressing issues related to pelv ..read more