Some experts are saying that the hormone imbalances created by obesity may require medication—even after the person has lost the weight.
Australian professor Joseph Proietto of the University of Melbourne recently told the Sydney Morning Herald that although obese people can lose weight through diet and exercise, they may struggle with a hormone imbalance even after they’ve gotten slender.
After losing a few pounds, the body may produce fewer hunger suppressing hormones, including leptin, and more hormones such as ghrelin, which can increase appetite, preventing someone from losing more weight.
To address this issue, Prioetto says, some people may need to regulate this through medication even after they get down to a normal size.
