For years, diet and exercise were championed as the twin strategies for weight loss. But as the obesity epidemic spreads, a growing body of research has looked to other explanations for why people become obese, Hayley Mick writes in Life on the scale .
Dr. Arya Sharma, chair of obesity research and management at the University of Alberta, along with Chris Dukarich, who has lost 128 pounds in the past year, will be online Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET to take your questions. Ask Dr. Sharma about the latest in research, why doctors think some people gain weight and others don't, and what options are out there for those who are struggling. Mr. Dukarich will take questions on his own experience with weight loss. Want to know how he did it? Just ask.
Your questions and their answers appear at the bottom of this page.
Dr. Arya Sharma is professor of medicine and Chair of Obesity Research and Management at the University of Alberta. He is also the medical director of the Edmonton Regional Weight Wise Program and the scientific director of the federally-funded Canadian Obesity Network. His research focuses on the environmental and biological causes of obesity and an evidence-based approach to managing obese patients. He is also working on the development of novel interventions for treating obese patients and people with a propensity for obesity. Scientific associations of which he is a member include the Canadian, American and International Societies of Hypertension and the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons . Dr. Sharma maintains a widely read blog where he regularly posts his ideas and thoughts on obesity prevention and management: http://www.drsharma.ca.
Chris Dukarich, 27, used to live off Slurpees and fast food. Since attending the Wharton Medical Clinic's Weight Management Centre in Hamilton, Mr. Dukarich lost 128 pounds in less than a year, shaving 15 points off of his BMI and 20 inches off his waist.
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Big Canadian from Canada writes: I am a young male, in my mid-20's, struggling to cope with my weight. I have been overweight my entire life and have constantly struggled with trying to maintain my weight as well as deal with the negative social baggage that comes with it. Several years ago I rapidly ballooned and later decided to 'really get serious' about addressing the issue. I dropped 110lbs in approximately 6 months and managed to keep most of it off over the next few years but added back another 25lbs while trying to maintain full-time employment and full-time university work. I have since lost around 30lbs but my efforts have plateaued in the last 2.5 months. Both times I have lost weight purely by switching to a well-balanced diet of smaller proportions (no Atkins or starving myself) and working out at the gym for 1+hours per day, 5-6 days per week. I still consider myself about 30lbs overweight but do not seem to be able to get rid of the last bit — all the more frustrating because the social stigma seems to be just as prevalent for a guy that is 30lbs overweight as it was for one who is 130lbs overweight. I am wondering what the effectiveness of a surgical procedure, such as lipo, would be for someone in my situation or if there is a legitimate 'diet pill' or supplement that can aid in my weight loss?
