Doctors should consider obesity a disease and more actively treat obese patients for weight loss, according to new guidelines released by the American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology and The Obesity Society.

The guidelines are essentially an instruction manual for treatment. New strategies in the guidelines released in early November include prescribing patients a diet that cuts out 500 or more calories a day and an exercise plan that gets patients moving at least 2 ½ hours each week.  Also, included is behavioral counseling to help patients stick with the plan. Read more