The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2008 reported that just over 26 percent of Americans were obese. If you are among these ranks, you may have found that traditional commercial diet programs have not brought you long-term success. Some obese people are now finding this success with physician-monitored weight-loss programs.
Types
Typically, physician-monitored weight-loss clinics offer one or both of the standard types of medical weight-loss programs, surgical and non-surgical. Surgical programs include bariatric surgery. You have several surgical options, each with its own pros and cons. Non-surgical programs, on the other hand, do not involve surgery but instead encompass a variety of program models.
Considerations
Physician-monitored weight-loss programs don't come without a price. Quite literally, the price of these programs can add up quickly. These programs, whether you opt for surgery or not, require a multitude of visits over a period of time that can be a year or more. Your medical insurance may cover part or all of these costs, but this is typically only available for specific providers. If your employer offers a medical flexible spending account, or FSA, check if you can be reimbursed the cost of your doctor-supervised weight-loss program with a letter of medical necessity from your doctor.
Surgical
According to the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery, there are three common types of bariatric surgeries. Gastric bypass surgery involves a reduction in the size of your stomach as well as the re-routing of part of your intestinal tract. In gastric banding, an adjustable gastric band is placed around the top portion of your stomach and tightened to achieve maximum weight loss in addition to satiety. If you opt for duodenal switch surgery, your stomach is shrunk similar to gastric bypass, but more of your intestinal tract is avoided.
Non-surgical
A physician-monitored weight-loss program that does not include surgery may follow the classic model of food restriction combined with exercise, or it may involve other methods such as protein or weight-loss shakes as well as prescription medications. Medline Plus says that, if you enter a calorie-restricted weight-loss program that's supervised by a doctor, you may eat as few as 500 to 800 calories daily. This is only safe under a doctor's supervision. A 2009 study conducted at the University of Kentucky and published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that meal-replacement shakes are successful in facilitating weight loss in a doctor-supervised program.
Warning
When looking for the right physician-monitored weight loss program for you, watch for clinics that claim to offer a doctor-supervised program but don't actually have a doctor at each location. Many of these clinics are corporate-owned, and, while their programs are created by a doctor, the doctor may not be closely monitoring your individual progress at each visit.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Highest Rates of Obesity, Diabetes in the South, Appalachia and Some Tribal Lands
- American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery
- Medline Plus: Tips for Losing Weight
- Medical News Today: Meal Replacements Aid Weight Loss
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