3 Reasons You Should Participate In Paid Medical Research For Obesity
Obesity is a common health problem that increases your risk of chronic diseases and other obesity-related conditions. If you are struggling with your weight, paid research is one opportunity to find a strategy that may help you lose weight or help further research to better understand the condition.
1. Access To Study Medications
In some cases, researchers develop medications that are specifically designed to help with obesity, or they might want to try a combination of medications that are already on the market. Recently, bupropion and naltrexone were combined as a method to help people lose weight. Both medications were already available to treat different conditions. This type of research is an opportunity to not only help researchers to determine if the medication is effective at weight reduction, but it is also an opportunity to try a treatment that you may not have access to. Even if the medication becomes approved in the treatment of obesity, it is possible you may not be able to afford the out-of-pocket costs associated with the medication, or it may not be approved by our insurance.
2. Comparing Different Approaches
When researchers study weight-reduction approaches, they may compare approaches to determine which method is best. For example, working with a nutritionist is a common strategy used to help people lose weight. Nutrition counseling might be compared to therapy by a mental health professional who is using cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT). The goal might be to see if either strategy is more effective in helping participants lose weight or if they are equally effective.
The results of the study can be used by medical practitioners to help guide their patients when helping them lose weight. If it is determined CBT or another mental health-based treatment is more effective for weight loss, physicians might refer their patients to a mental health professional before or in conjunction with nutrition counseling.
3. Determining Intrinsic Factors Related To Obesity
Although there is significant focus on environmental factors as it relates to obesity, some researchers may want to understand if there are any intrinsic factors that make people more vulnerable to weight gain. As more emphasis is placed on genetics and its correlation with certain medical conditions, researchers may be able to pinpoint certain genetic factors that may influence how you should eat. One example would be the difference in how people respond to certain diets.
Some people find it is easier for them to lose weight if they eat a balanced diet, whereas others may be more susceptible to gaining weight with higher carbohydrate or fat intake. Additionally, there are often individual differences in the development of chronic diseases among people who are obese. Even people who are significantly overweight for much of their life may not develop diabetes or hypertension as quickly as another person who is not as overweight.
Participating in paid medical research for obesity not only helps researchers find better approaches to weight reduction, but it may also help participants shed excess pounds and receive compensation for their efforts.
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