Understanding Obesity as a Chronic Disease: Key Takeaways from Our Medical Weight Loss Webinar
Understanding Obesity as a Chronic Disease: Key Takeaways from Our Medical Weight Loss Webinar
For decades, obesity has been framed as a simple issue of willpower — eat less, move more. But science tells a very different story.
In this educational webinar, Dr. Minnie Cruz-Tolentino, MD, board-certified in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, explains why obesity is now recognized as a chronic, relapsing, and progressive disease, and why this understanding is critical for anyone struggling with weight loss.
This article summarizes the key insights from the webinar and explains how modern medical weight loss in Leesburg and Northern Virginia is evolving to reflect what the science actually shows.
Obesity Is Officially a Chronic Disease
One of the most important points emphasized in the webinar is that obesity is not a personal failure.
Major medical organizations — including the American Medical Association, World Obesity Federation, FDA, European Medicines Agency, and Canadian Medical Association — now recognize obesity as a chronic disease requiring long-term medical care
Obesity is defined as:
A chronic, relapsing, progressive disease characterized by excess body fat that negatively impacts health.
This classification fundamentally changes how obesity should be treated — not with short-term diets, but with medically supervised weight-loss strategies.
Why Is Obesity Happening Now?
Dr. Cruz explains that obesity is the result of multiple interacting factors, not a single cause.
Key contributors include:
Genetic predisposition
Environmental influences
Biologic and physiologic changes
Behavioral and lifestyle factors
Medications that cause weight gain
Hormonal regulation of appetite and metabolism
This explains why two people eating the same foods can experience completely different weight outcomes — a concept often misunderstood in traditional weight-loss advice
Obesity Is a Multi-System Disease
Another critical takeaway from the webinar is that obesity affects nearly every organ system in the body.
Obesity is associated with:
Cardiovascular disease and hypertension
Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
Fatty liver disease
Sleep apnea
Osteoarthritis
Certain cancers
Hormonal disorders such as PCOS, Low-T, menopause, and andropause
Because obesity impacts multiple systems, medical weight-loss must be comprehensive — not cosmetic or isolated
Why BMI Alone Is Not Enough
While BMI is commonly used to screen for obesity, Dr. Cruz emphasizes that it is only one tool, not the full picture.
Diagnosis should also consider:
Body fat percentage
Waist circumference
Body composition analysis
Fat distribution
Modern weight-loss clinics increasingly rely on DEXA scans and body composition analysis to assess true health risk — a more accurate approach than scale weight alone
The Brain Controls Weight (Not Willpower)
One of the most powerful messages in the webinar is that the brain plays a central role in weight regulation.
The brain receives hormonal signals from:
The stomach
Intestines
Pancreas
Fat cells
These signals regulate:
Hunger
Satiety
Energy expenditure
This is why the idea of “calories in vs. calories out” is overly simplistic — the body actively adapts to protect fat mass, especially after weight loss
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Weight Regain Happens
Dr. Cruz highlights research showing that after weight loss:
Hunger hormones remain elevated
Satiety hormones remain suppressed
Calories burned decrease
This phenomenon — known as metabolic adaptation — explains why most people regain weight after dieting, even when they continue healthy behaviors
This is a major reason why sustainable weight-loss requires medical intervention for many patients.
“Overeating Does Not Cause Obesity”
A powerful quote shared in the webinar comes from Dr. Lee Kaplan, former president of The Obesity Society:
“Overeating does not cause obesity.”
Instead, obesity causes changes in appetite regulation, hunger signaling, and metabolism — leading to overeating as a symptom, not the root cause
Why Medical Weight Loss Is Different
Because obesity is a chronic disease, it should be treated by board-certified weight-loss doctors and obesity medicine physicians, not quick-fix programs.
Medical weight loss in Leesburg and Northern Virginia may include:
Comprehensive medical evaluation
Lab testing
Personalized nutrition plans
Physical activity plans
Weight-loss counseling
Long-term weight maintenance strategies
For some patients, treatment may also include GLP-1 weight-loss therapy, such as:
Semaglutide injections
Tirzepatide weight-loss
Liraglutide (Saxenda)
These medications work by targeting the brain’s appetite pathways — the same systems discussed in the webinar — and should always be used as part of medically supervised weight-loss injections, not stand-alone solutions.
Hormones, Weight Gain, and Obesity
Hormonal imbalance often plays a role in weight gain, particularly during:
Perimenopause
Menopause
Andropause
Symptoms such as:
Weight gain
Fatigue
Brain fog
Hot flashes
Night sweats
Low testosterone (Low-T)
can all impact metabolism and response to weight-loss efforts.
In appropriate cases, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or BHRT may be considered as part of a comprehensive medical plan under the guidance of a Northern Virginia hormone doctor.
Why Physician-Led Care Matters
Many patients never receive treatment because providers:
Lack time
Assume patients aren’t motivated
Avoid sensitive conversations about weight
Dr. Cruz emphasizes that obesity deserves the same seriousness and compassion as any other chronic condition
At My Wellness Physicians, weight loss is treated with:
Medical expertise
Evidence-based care
Respect and education
Long-term support
Watch the Full Webinar
This blog only scratches the surface of what was covered in the webinar.
🎥 Watch the full presentation here:
https://youtu.be/SLJ7USGff8Y
Take the Next Step
If you are searching for:
Medical weight loss Leesburg
A trusted weight loss clinic Fairfax
Medical weight loss Alexandria
Care from board-certified weight-loss doctors
Support for hormone-related weight gain
A medically guided approach may help.
Contact My Wellness Physicians:
📞 (703) 777-9355
📧 info@mywellnessphysicians.com
📍 1604 Village Market Blvd SE, Suite 119, Leesburg, VA 20175
📱 Follow us: @mywellnessphysicians
Let's continue this journey together. Your health matters—and we're here to support you every step of the way.