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The Assessment of the Adult Patient with Overweight and Obesity

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Obesity

Abstract

The patient with obesity is complicated and unique. They often suffer from a cluster of interrelated symptoms and syndromes. When this patient seeks medical help of any kind, it is our job as medical practitioners to give guidance and support so the patient can achieve overall better health. This process starts with taking a comprehensive health history because the specific factors contributing to obesity in each particular patient must be ascertained to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of the patient. The specific format for taking such a history in a patient with obesity is clearly laid out in this chapter. Next, a detailed physical assessment must be conducted by the medical practitioner. This chapter outlines the mechanics and unique challenges of performing such an exam correctly and the various tools that can be used, including necessary or recommended diagnostic tests. Information regarding additional assessments on patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is also provided in this chapter, along with a discussion about disordered sleep. Finally, this chapter explains the importance of doing a summary assessment in which patient goals are established and a treatment plan is created. Treatment often starts with realistic and more easily attainable goals before bigger goals are set because asking a patient to do everything at once will likely result in failure and frustration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Banner University Medical Center, University of Arizona School of Medicine – Phoenix, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Robin P. Blackstone

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  1. Robin P. Blackstone
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Correspondence to Robin P. Blackstone .

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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Blackstone, R.P. (2016). The Assessment of the Adult Patient with Overweight and Obesity. In: Obesity. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39409-1_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-39409-1_9

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-39407-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-39409-1

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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