Obesity & Weight Management Program
The good news is that we have successful options for obesity treatment that address many of physiological and psychological barriers to achieving a sustainable, healthy weight. Bariatric surgical options have become much safer and have shown to improve and even cure many comorbid conditions, such as diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, and hypertension.
• Bariatric surgery is often described as a metabolic procedure since it alters hormones related to metabolism, overcoming some of the physiological barriers that prevent weight loss.
• There are also less invasive options such as the gastric balloon, which is a soft silicone, saline-filled balloon placed endoscopically in the stomach for 6 months. The balloon makes someone feel full, limiting how much someone can eat and therefore leading to weight loss.
• Weight loss medications also play an important role in obesity treatment. The FDA has approved a handful of medications over the last several years that suppress appetite and cravings, helping overcome hormone resistance to weight loss. There are many of the newer diabetes medications such as GLP1-agonist that can be used in patients with diabetes to help with weight loss.
• It is also imperative to work on changing environmental factors. The basis of successful weight loss remains changes in lifestyle with changes in diet along with an increase in physical activity.
The University of Utah offers a comprehensive weight management program which includes medical, surgical and minimally invasive treatment options for those with overweight and obesity. Our program includes bariatric surgeons, a medical weight management specialist from the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism & Diabetes, gastroenterologists, cardiologists, and psychologists in addition to registered dieticians, exercise physiologists, and health coaches. For medical weight management we offer both individual and group visits. For surgical patients, we offer bimonthly information sessions and many support groups. Please go to our website or call to schedule an appointment or for additional information.