Glossary Category: Weight Loss & Metabolic Health

Dark, velvety patches of skin that appear in body folds — typically the back of the neck, underarms, and groin — caused by elevated insulin levels. A visible clinical indicator of insulin resistance that is frequently misattributed to poor hygiene or dismissed as cosmetic.

The proportion of fat mass, lean muscle mass, bone, and water that make up total body weight. A more accurate health indicator than weight or BMI alone.

A licensed pharmacy that prepares customized medications not commercially available in standard formulations — including personalized doses, alternative delivery routes, or medications during manufacturer shortages.

The body’s primary stress hormone, produced by the adrenal glands. When chronically elevated, cortisol promotes abdominal fat storage, impairs insulin sensitivity, disrupts sleep, and suppresses immune and hormonal function.

The persistent, intrusive mental preoccupation with food — constant thoughts about what to eat, when to eat, and cravings — driven by dysregulated hunger hormones and metabolic imbalance, not lack of willpower.

A hormone produced primarily in the stomach that stimulates appetite and promotes fat storage. Known as the hunger hormone, ghrelin rises before meals and spikes with sleep deprivation and caloric restriction.

A naturally occurring gut hormone that regulates blood sugar, slows digestion, and reduces appetite. Pharmaceutical GLP-1 receptor agonists are used clinically to support significant, sustained weight loss.

A condition in which the body’s cells respond poorly to insulin, forcing the pancreas to overproduce it — leading to elevated blood sugar, increased fat storage, weight gain, and heightened metabolic disease risk.

A hormone produced by fat cells that signals fullness and satiety to the brain. In leptin resistance — common in obesity and metabolic dysfunction — this signal fails, leaving the brain in a perpetual state of perceived starvation.

A state in which one or more of the body’s metabolic systems — blood sugar regulation, fat metabolism, inflammation, or hormone signaling — are operating outside of healthy ranges, increasing disease risk and impairing daily function.

A state in which the body’s five core metabolic markers — blood sugar, blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and waist circumference — are all functioning within healthy ranges without medication.

A recognized medical specialty focused on the evaluation, treatment, and long-term management of obesity as a chronic disease — distinct from general advice about diet and exercise.

A stimulant-based prescription appetite suppressant approved for short-term weight loss. One of the most frequently prescribed weight loss medications in the US — and one patients frequently ask about when considering medical weight loss options at SPOKEmed.

A once-weekly GLP-1 receptor agonist used for chronic weight management and blood sugar control. Available under the brand names Wegovy (weight loss) and Ozempic (diabetes).

A dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist medication approved for chronic weight management. It activates two metabolic pathways simultaneously, producing greater average weight loss than single-mechanism GLP-1 agents.

Fat stored deep within the abdominal cavity, surrounding internal organs. Unlike subcutaneous fat under the skin, visceral fat is metabolically active and strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and systemic inflammation.