See what chiropractors are doing for patient weight loss according to new survey

Combating a national obesity epidemic with weight loss solutions

An aging U.S. population has embraced wellness and weight loss to the tune of a $3.7 trillion wellness economy according to MarketWatch, and chiropractic offices are increasingly assisting patients in their efforts according to the soon-to-be-released 22nd Chiropractic Economics Salary & Expense Survey.

In the magazine survey, doctors of chiropractic across the U.S. reported that 22% of practices and clinics are offering weight loss programs or products, up from 16% in last year’s survey.

“Many patients come in with multiple musculoskeletal and other body system complaints such as pain in ankles, knees, hips, low back and shoulders,” writes Jeffrey Tucker, DC, for Chiropractic Economics magazine. “If these patients are carrying even 5-10% excess fat, then that weight is contributing to their complaints. Excess fat causes inflammation. I’ll tell you a secret — the weight-loss programs bring in more patients than chiropractic programs.”

Obesity stats

The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that while obesity has been a problem at the forefront in the U.S., the world’s most overweight country, statistics continue to trend upwards. Nationally, 39.6% of adults and 18.5% of children were considered obese in 2015-2016, the most recent period for which NHANES data were available. These figures represent the highest percentages ever documented, according to the AAFP.

“Chiropractors are wellness practitioners for their patients and should be at the forefront of combating this epidemic,” says Richard Vach, editor-in-chief of Chiropractic Economics magazine. “Weight loss management is what patients want and need. From the vantage of the doctor of chiropractic, maintaining an ideal weight is necessary for effective chiropractic treatment and to reduce inflammation which is the cause of a host of medical issues.”

The 2019 Chiropractic Economics Salary & Expense Survey results include more than 800 responses from doctors of chiropractic in the U.S. The survey is the go-to source for annual salary data and trending information in the chiropractic industry.

To receive the full survey results, click here for a free subscription to Chiropractic Economics magazine, including the results of the 2019 Salary & Expense Survey which will appear in issue #8 mailed in late May.