Jim Starko said it's taken a lot of hard work and dedication to shed 110 pounds but the St. Albert resident also credits the weight management support he's received through the St. Albert and Sturgeon Primary Care Network (PCN).
Starko, 53, is one of more than 170 patients who have received weight management support at the PCN since 2009 when staff established a unique partnership with Weight Wise, an Alberta Health Services (AHS) program based in Edmonton.
The referral program allows patients over the age of 17 to access a team of multidisciplinary healthcare providers, including councillors and dietitians.
"The role of the clinic is really to educate and support the patient by equipping them with the tools that will help them realize weight management success," said Michelle Pachal, of Weight Wise.
"The more knowledge you have, the better equipped you are to face the challenges that you're going to have on a day-to-day basis. That is really the focus of the relationship we have with the St. Albert PCN," she said.
Patients requiring additional support, including bariatric surgery are also referred to Weight Wise.
As a result of the partnership, patients like Starko can access care for a number of chronic conditions such as diabetes, arthritis and heart disease in a timely manner and close to home.
Starko said he was originally referred to the PCN because he aimed to get his diabetes and blood sugar level — which was very high before his weight loss — under control.
"One of the things we offer for Weight Wise patients is we check their comorbidity, so if they need diabetes education, heart health education, maybe a one-on-one with a dietitian or a mental health worker, we can offer that here and provide all of those services," said Dianne Bray, the PCN's health promotion and prevention co-ordinator.
Patients referred to the PCN for weight-management issues are typically booked for their first appointment within a month.
In the past, Starko said he's tried numerous weight loss methods and while he's always been able to shed pounds, he's never been able to keep the weight off.
"One thing that finally clicked with me this time, and people can tell you this over and over again, but until you embrace it and accept it, it's not going to do you any good and that was it's a lifestyle change," he said.
"This is what I now have learned that I'm going to have to do for the rest of my life and once I realized that, it's not so bad," Starko said.
"It doesn't mean that you deprive yourself. If you want to have something to eat, you just go and do it but everything in moderation and track it and write it down."
Since losing 110 pounds, Starko said he's also noticed a number of improvements to his health.
In addition to getting his blood sugar and blood pressure levels under control, Starko said he's also realized the two hip replacements he had in his 40s were likely due to his weight.
"It finally dawned on me that maybe part of the reason that I needed hip replacements was because of the extra weight that I've carried all of my life," he said.
Without the excess weight, Starko said he's also found it easier to maintain proper hygiene and to walk short distances without becoming overtired.
"It's absolutely everything that you do, including getting in the shower in the morning," he said.
Growing trend
Dr. Wayne Daviduck, a family physician in St. Albert who is also a member of the PCN, said obesity has increasingly become a greater burden on the healthcare system over the last 15 to 20 years.
"It's reaching epidemic proportions across the country. You look around and go to a mall and see how many people walking by are overweight and you'll be well above the 50 per cent mark," he said.
While many people recognize obesity merely as a weight issue, Daviduck said the problem spans numerous medical areas.
"If you look at one thing that you can do within the healthcare system to improve the overall health of everybody and reduce the morbidity caused by other diseases like heart disease, bone disease … diabetes, it's weight," he said.
"And if you can manage that, you would reduce the burden on the health care system."
