Lifestyle changes needed to combat obesity

A local doctor is taking a stand against the obesity epidemic in her personal life and her practice after a frightening experience with a colleague brought her face-to-face with her own weight issues.

Dr. Valencia Andrews-Pirtle said she had become desensitized to the word "obese" over the course of her career, but after watching a 77-year-old colleague with some major health issues caused by his extreme obesity pass out during a medical conference back in February, she knew she had to make some changes or that might be her.

"I remember this gentleman struggling to talk and even breathe while using his walker to get around," Andrews-Pirtle said. "I asked God, 'please don't let this man pass out in front of me.'"

Andrews-Pirtle had her prayer answered word for word, as the colleague passed out while sitting next to her and not in front of her.

"I knew I couldn't let that be me," she said.

Obesity related health care costs roughly $147 billion annually, according to a February 2013 Medical Economics report. Andrews-Pirtle said this amount is expected to increase by 10 percent over the next 20 years for many states. Nine of these states may see an increase of at least 20 percent or more during that time frame. With more than 78 million adults and 12.5 million children and adolescents in the United States considered obese, the doctor said the time to make changes for the future is now.

Obesity can cause type-2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, joint problems, sleep apnea and certain cancers, as well as a number of other major and minor health problems. Andrews-Pirtle said people should start addressing their weight issues with a medical professional who can provide guidance for how to lose weight and stay healthy. She said the "ideal" medical practice would have a full-time dietitian, a full-time psychologist specializing in obesity behaviors and a refferal to an exercise physiologist.

"Sometimes a diet isn't enough, and I feel they are often just a scam to make money off of people who need real help," she said. "Getting healthier requires a change in lifestyle, not just a diet, which can be temporary."

Andrews-Pirtle said after seeing the shape her colleague was in, she started thinking about her own life; her two children, her longevity as a physician, future health issues and an overall desire to live a fuller life. These things helped inspire the doctor to make some big changes. Since February, Andrews-Pirtle said she has lost 30 pounds and is feeling great. She said she now sees herself as someone who could set an example for patients battling their weight, something she couldn't do before.

"It's hard as a doctor who's overweight to tell your patients they need to lose weight. It's such a contradiction," she said.

Starting Aug. 13, and continuing through the 16, Healthy Partners, located at 4102 Memorial Drive, will be hosting a series of obesity-fighting seminars as a part of the "Stomping Out Obesity" campaign. The seminars will begin at 1 p.m. each day. The sessions will be provided by Nikki Allen, personal trainer at Ultimate Fitness of Blytheville, Claire Morris of Main Street Natural Foods, Pam Pruitt of the Mississippi County Extension Office and Loretta Heard with Weight Watchers. Each event is open to the public.

For more information on the "Stomping Out Obesity" seminars, call 870-532-6001.

cpinkard@blythevillecourier.com