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Excess pounds, overweight, obesity… what treatments can you benefit from to improve your state of health? Which are covered by Social Security and some mutuals? Doctissimo takes stock.
Excess pounds are bad for your health, we know that. But between people who want to lose one or two kilos to fit into their jersey, those who are really overweight and those affected by morbid obesity, the situation is very different. What treatments are available for losing weight and which can be covered (by Social Security or certain mutual funds)?
Overweight, obesity… Where are you?
When you have a few extra pounds, the first step is to know if you are “overweight” or obese. To find out, a simple tool can help you, it is the body mass index (BMI). This is based on the following calculation: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Do the calculation online on Doctissimo.
Depending on the result:
- If the number is between 20 and 25, you are normal weight for your height, although sometimes you may want to lose a pound or two to feel better;
- If the number obtained is higher than 25, you are overweight and this can start to affect your health;
- Beyond 30, we speak of obesity, and the extra pounds pose a significant risk to your health.
The options are different depending on your situation.
Dietetics, psychology and physical activity adapted to CSO
In a situation of obesity, it is possible to benefit from comprehensive care in a specialized centre. They are called CSOs, centers specializing in the management of obesity.
According to the website of the Ministry of Health and Prevention, there are 37 present in mainland France and overseas.
In these specialized centers, various health professionals work with patients: nutritionists, endocrinologists, psychologists, dieticians, pediatricians, masseurs-physiotherapists, etc.
These multidisciplinary teams from these centers focus on three complementary aspects: dietetics, psychology and adapted physical activity.
Spa treatment covered by Social Security
As a metabolic pathology, obesity is one of the diseases treated during a spa treatment. Some establishments, fourteen in total, are specialized in this field and approved by the Health Insurance.
These are the thermal establishments present in the following towns: Le Boulou, Brides-les-Bains, Capvern-les-Bains, Castéra-Verduzan, Châtel-Guyon, Cilaos (Reunion), Contrexéville, Évian-les-Bains, Montrond-les-Bains, Plombières-les-Bains, Thonon-les-Bains, Vals-les-Bains, Vichy, Vittel.
For partial coverage by Social Security, it is therefore necessary to carry out your cure at these thermal baths. You must first consult your attending physician, who must then complete a form requesting administrative support for spa treatment. After acceptance by the Social Security fund, and for any cure of 18 days minimum, the stay in cure can be reimbursed to the patient. In some cases, establishments even practice third-party payment and the insured therefore does not have to advance any costs.
As a reminder, spa treatment is also accessible to people who are not obese, to treat other ailments, but not for those who are slightly overweight, for example. On medical prescription, the spa treatment will be partially reimbursed and subject to resources by Social Security. Depending on the situation, the remaining part may be covered by the curist’s health insurance fund.
To lose weight depending on your situation, different options will be possible:
- For obese people, certain drug treatments, such as liraglutide (Saxenda) or semaglutide (Wegovy) are indicated for chronic weight management, in addition to a low-calorie diet and appropriate physical activity. Bariatric surgery may also be a possibility, mainly for BMIs greater than 40 or greater than 35 in the event of an associated pathology, such as type 2 diabetes, arterial hypertension or sleep apnea syndrome, for example. It will be covered at 70% by Social Security and the rest will be reimbursed by most mutuals;
- For overweight people, a consultation with your doctor is recommended. He can refer you to a nutritionist or dietician, whose consultations may be reimbursed by certain mutual insurance companies. A follow-up that can allow you to lose the extra pounds that are bothering you, in order to find a BMI of less than 25 and a normal weight situation, thanks to a personalized follow-up;
- For people who only have a few pounds to lose, a food rebalancing, with a higher consumption of fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, legumes, less red meat, alcohol, processed foods and more of physical exercise can enable you to come to the end of it. If you want to opt for a diet, discover the Doctissimo Diets Awards, established each year with experts. Depending on your expectations, discover the one that suits you best. If you need help balancing your diet, it is also possible to consult a food professional (dietician or nutritionist) to take advantage of their advice. Look in the contract of your mutual insurance company if you can benefit from reimbursements for these consultations.