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Our dedicated team of experts is committed to helping people meet and maintain their weight goals. Whether it’s to lose weight for an upcoming surgery, to address a medical condition or simply to reach a personal weight goal, we offer medically supervised, non-surgical weight management options that are safe and effective. This includes nutritional counseling, medication, meal replacement programs, individual and endoscopic procedures.
Losing weight through medical weight management can help improve and sometimes cure many health conditions associated with obesity, including:
The first step is to learn about your specific goals. You may need to lose a certain amount of body weight to help in the treatment of a disease. We will work with you in deciding which interventions are best for you based on your goals and explain the advantages and disadvantages of the various options, but the choice will depend primarily on the patient.
We provide therapies under the medical supervision of obesity experts. Initially we will identify factors which may be contributing to not only your weight, but also your overall health and apply a range of tools.
We use scientifically supported strategies for weight loss and maintenance, including behavioral therapy, nutritional counseling and exercise physiology. Psychologists, registered dietitians and other specialists work with patients to identify personal values and goals, learn how to make better decisions, develop healthy coping skills and overcome barriers to change. Our program also offers an option to see an exercise physiologist (which may require an out-of-pocket cost).
There are several medications, called anti-obesity medications, which are FDA approved for chronic weight management. Medications can lead to an average weight reduction of 8-22 percent of your body weight, if one medication is used. Using medications in combination (more than one medication) can lead to more weight reduction. These medications need to be continued (taken life-long) to maintain weight reduction.
The OPTIFAST® Program provides full meal replacement for 12 weeks and transitions to self-prepared “everyday” meals in conjunction with comprehensive patient education and support, to help patients achieve long-term weight management. This program has out-of-pocket expenses.
From the moment patients begin considering weight-loss surgery until long after their goal weight is reached, our team works with patients to achieve the lifestyle and emotional changes needed to sustain weight loss. Our accredited bariatric surgery program’s team of specialists and board-certified surgeons are here to support you too, if you decide weight-loss surgery is right for you. Experts agree bariatric surgery can provide long-term weight loss of 25-35 percent, reduce mortality by 50 percent and is as safe as removal of a gallbladder or knee replacement.
These innovative weight management options work by reducing the capacity of the stomach. This can be achieved by placement of a water filled balloon in the stomach, and by placing stitches in the stomach wall.
Combining different therapies is another option for the treatment of obesity. For example, medications can be paired with metabolic and bariatric surgery. You will have the opportunity to discuss the best option for you with your provider at the Center for Weight Management.
Our state-of-the-art Irving and Alice Brown Teaching Kitchen located in North Haven, CT, is a unique resource for our Center for Weight Management patients. Participants can take hands-on culinary medicine classes, led by a chef and registered dietitian, to learn how to create foods which are both delicious and meet their nutrition goals.
A ratio of weight to height called Body Mass Index (BMI) is generally used to classify degrees of overweight. A BMI over 25 is referred to as overweight, while BMI over 30 is referred to as obese. Currently, anti-obesity medications are approved for those with a BMI over 27, who also have another health condition (such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or diabetes mellitus) or BMI over 30.
Adult BMI Calculator (National Institutes of Health)
Body Mass Index Tables (National Institutes of Health)
Interested in learning more about medical weight management? See how our experts are with you throughout your weight-loss journey.
Yale New Haven Health is proud to be affiliated with the prestigious Yale University and its highly ranked Yale School of Medicine.
