Letter from the Editor, #765

There are finally some guidelines coming from the Endocrine Society on treating obesity. This is significant because the guidelines signify the recognition of obesity as a disease to treat and not a problem that causes other diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. I believe that these new guidelines were brought about because of the expanding ways that we now have to treat the disease. Lapband and gastric bypass have both been hailed as a treatment for obesity but as we have seen over the past few years many people fail on these therapies over time because of a lack of education and support.

Now we another new method for these patients and you have to wonder if it will fair any better long term. The Maestro Rechargeable System works in a totally new way to cause weight loss.

It amazes me that once again we miss the psychological reasons for failure in treating obesity and provide little education, guidance or support for our patients to be successful. This is much the same problem that we have in diabetes. With over 5,000 certified diabetes educators in the United States, and the proven success in having CDE’s work with diabetes patients, it’s crazy that individual CDE’s can’t work with individual patients and get reimbursed for their services. Hopefully this will change as we realize the need for more help than pills or devices or surgery can give to our patients.

*****

Announcements:

dLifeTV.com: Sunday, January 25, 7PM ET

We can make a difference!

*****************************

Dave Joffe, Editor-in-chief