All kinds of tips and tricks for losing weight can be found everywhere in the media these days. However, the obesity epidemic in the United States is much more serious than just a handful of people trying to lose a few extra pounds. Americans need a real solution for changing their eating habits and exercising more for a healthier lifestyle. This is where the chiropractic field can make a big difference with their patients, both with providing relief from obesity-induced health issues, as well as helping them with some lasting weight loss solutions.

The obesity epidemic does affect millions of Americans, and there’s no easy “one size fits all” solution. In the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the results reveal that over 32% of Americans over 20 years old are overweight, over 34% are categorized as obese, and over 5% are labeled as extremely obese.

There are several factors that play into the equation, including eating behaviors, environmental issues, low levels of physical activity, and genetics. Because each person is different, the combination of many of these causes plays into each person’s health profile in various ways. But similar underlying issues and behaviors may produce the same results, regardless of other varying factors. For instance, a middle-aged female who works at a desk job for 40 hours a week may have back and shoulder pain associated with obesity. On the flip side, an adolescent who sits in front of the television playing video games for hours may also have a family history of obesity.

Regardless of the cause, in any situation where a person is overweight, other health related issues—such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases—can soon arise and become an imminent issue in a person’s overall health and well-being.

As chiropractors, we provide beneficial services to patients who struggle with obesity. But it's up to the chiropractor to reach out to their patients to address what, for some, can be a very sensitive issue.  And, although patients turn to us because of lower back pain brought on by their additional weight, the extra weight that a person carries can also affect their knees and hip joints. As more people look for physical relief from their back pain, chiropractors have the opportunity to assist their patients in making better lifestyle choices that will result in achieving overall health.