On a Weight Management Mission? 3 Reasons to Partner With Your PCP

Content medically reviewed by Amanda Keough, APRN, CNP

If you’re like many people dealing with excess weight, finding the desire to lose the extra pounds isn’t the problem. It’s figuring out how to do it. Numerous weight management options are available, and new choices seem to be having an impact on the obesity crisis. According to a Gallup survey, the U.S. obesity rate declined from a high of 39.9% in 2022 to 37% in 2025, a change that coincided with the rise of injectable weight loss medicines.

A wide range of weight loss treatments offers many possible pathways to success. Choosing one, however, can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? Take the first step by talking with your primary care provider (PCP). They know your health inside and out and can help you find a weight management strategy that fits your needs, while supporting you every step of the way. Read on to learn about three ways your PCP can be a valuable resource as you seek to lose weight.

1. Your PCP Knows Your Health Story

You have more than a health history. You also have a health story. Your PCP knows every chapter, from when you had your kids or took up yoga to when you were finally able to return to hiking after knee surgery. That insider knowledge means they see the complete picture of your health, giving them an edge in helping you choose a weight management path.

“Your PCP understands how excess weight affects you physically and mentally, increasing your risk for sleep apnea, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, among other health conditions,” said Amanda Keough, APRN, CNP at Essentia Health. “Knowing the medical conditions you may be living with and how weight affects them, your PCP can recommend a weight loss strategy that does more than help you shed pounds. It can also help improve your health, the ultimate goal of any weight loss effort.”

Plus, your long-term relationship with your PCP means you’re comfortable sharing your wellness goals with them. Maybe you’d like to run a 5K or play with your grandkids in the backyard. Whatever your health aspirations, your PCP can personalize your weight loss program to help you achieve what matters most to you.

2. You Have an Expert to Help Navigate Weight Management Options

“You have many healthy weight management strategies to choose from, but the best way to manage weight is the one that you will stick with, and that delivers consistent, lasting results,” Keough said. “Your PCP can help you find that strategy. It will probably involve multiple forms of treatment, such as pairing healthy lifestyle habits with weight loss medicines or surgery.”Weight management falls into two main categories: nonsurgical and surgical. Your PCP can help you choose the combination of treatments that fits your preferences and gives you the best chance of achieving your goals.

Nonsurgical Treatments

You will likely start with nonsurgical weight loss options. For example, your PCP can help you identify low-impact exercises, such as walking and swimming, that can support your weight loss goals without hurting your joints. They can also suggest ways to make healthy eating part of your daily routine.

“Lifestyle changes alone may not be enough to achieve your goals,” Keough said. “In that case, your PCP may recommend combining these changes with weight loss medicines. Some of the latest options include oral or injectable glucagon-like peptide-1, or GLP-1, medicines, which have dramatically changed weight loss treatment. These medicines mimic a hormone produced by your small intestine, reducing your appetite and slowing the digestion of food.”

You may be a candidate for weight loss medications if you have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with a chronic medical condition, like Type 2 diabetes. These medicines can cause a range of side effects, including abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, headache, nausea, and vomiting, among others. Rapid weight loss can also have side effects, such as constipation, diarrhea, fatigue, gallstones, and a hollow or wrinkled appearance to your face. Your PCP can help you manage side effects and ensure your weight loss plan is sustainable.

Surgical Treatments

Weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery) may be right for you if nonsurgical treatments haven’t worked. You may qualify if you have a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with a chronic medical condition.

Multiple types of weight loss surgery are available. For example, gastric bypass reroutes food around the top part of the small intestine, reducing the amount you absorb. Sleeve gastrectomy reduces the size of your stomach by 80%. As a result, it can hold only a small amount of food, and the production of a hormone that drives hunger drops. Your PCP can help you decide which surgical option is the best fit for you.

Nonsurgical treatment still has a part to play. After weight loss surgery, you’ll need to exercise regularly and eat small portions of healthy food to maintain and build on your results.

3. You Get a Gateway to the Rest of the Health Care System

Your PCP will manage your overall health and help you choose a weight management plan, but they won’t be the only medical provider caring for you on your weight loss journey.

“You will need a team around you, and your PCP can help build it,” Keough said. “For example, they can connect you with a medical weight management expert who can oversee your weight loss journey, a registered dietitian for nutritional support, or an exercise specialist to help you incorporate more physical activity into your life. If you’re planning to have weight loss surgery, your PCP may refer you to a bariatric surgeon.”

In the months before weight loss surgery, your PCP may work with the bariatric surgeon to refer you to the specialists you need to see to be cleared for the procedure. For example, you may need to see a cardiologist to be sure your heart is healthy enough for surgery, or a behavioral health specialist to be sure you’re emotionally ready.

The Bottom Line

Who better to help with weight management than the medical expert who knows your health best? Your PCP is your go-to resource for achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Here’s why –

1. Your PCP knows every chapter of your health story, plus your goals for the next one. That makes them uniquely positioned to help individualize your weight management strategy.
2. With knowledge of the ever-changing landscape of weight management, your PCP can help you choose the right combination of nonsurgical and surgical treatments or refer you to a specialist.
3. Your PCP leads your health care team and knows which additional team members, such as dietitians, medical specialists, and the bariatric surgeon, you need to work with to be successful.