Marketing Weight Loss as a Weapon to Fight Asthma

Bariatric or weight loss centers commonly emphasize the importance of a healthy weight for reducing blood pressure, cholesterol, and for controlling or eliminating diabetes. However, more emphasis should be put on the importance of a healthy weight when treating asthma. Previous studies have concluded that there is a higher incidence of asthma in obese persons than in non-overweight persons.

Exactly how obesity affects asthma is still unknown. It is believed, by some, that there may be degradation in an obese person’s immune system's ability to fight the pollutant, ozone, a form of oxygen that can trigger asthma. In addition to affecting the immune system, there may be other ways that obesity is a causal factor in asthma.

At any rate, recent studies do show that obese persons who suffer from asthma are likely to spend more time in the hospital than non-overweight asthma sufferers. So, reducing weight may be a way to reduce the effects of asthma.

Therefore, bariatric or weight loss centers should discuss the benefits of a healthy weight with potential obese clients who suffer from asthma. The centers could market their weight loss services to asthma sufferers, just as some centers market their weight loss services to potential clients who deal with other metabolic problems. This could be an opportunity for those bariatric or weight loss centers who don't already market weight loss services for a possible asthma treatment.
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Tags: environmental scanning, strategic management, competitive advantage, weight loss marketing, bariatric center