Obesity, both in children and adults, is an escalating concern in today's world. Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) offers a range of weight loss programs and resources designed to address this issue, focusing on sustainable lifestyle changes and, when necessary, surgical interventions. OHSU's approach encompasses various aspects, including healthy lifestyle promotion, medical nutrition therapy, and bariatric surgery, ensuring comprehensive care for individuals seeking to improve their health and well-being.
Healthy Lifestyles Program at Doernbecher Children's Hospital
Childhood obesity is a growing problem. Every child and every adult has a healthy body shape that is right for them. But in today’s world it’s easy for us all to gain excessive - and unhealthy - weight. Weight gain occurs when energy intake (food and drink) is more than energy expended (physical activity). The Doernbecher Healthy Lifestyle Clinic recognizes that overweight and obese children are especially in need of dedicated care. Directed by Dr. Natasha Polensek, a pediatrician, the Healthy Lifestyles Program emphasizes the importance of establishing healthy habits for the entire family. The program focuses on lifestyle modifications rather than solely on weight, recognizing that weight is only partially controllable. The clinic's team works with families to set goals related to diet, physical activity, and family support.
The OHSU Nutrition Clinic is staffed with registered dietitians (RDs) who will help you achieve your health and wellness goals. They meet with hundreds of families every year who want to make some positive changes in their lifestyle. Healthy lifestyle changes will hopefully help your body be healthier, which may mean you will have a better BMI. The program includes:
- Pediatrics: Pediatricians assess physical health and provide guidance on improving or maintaining it. The doctor will talk to you about your height, weight and BMI. A healthy BMI percentile for kids is between 5 percent and 85 percent. BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It is the ratio of your height and weight.
- Physical Therapy: Physical therapists evaluate muscle and bone strength, flexibility, and endurance.
- Dietetics: Dietitians offer guidance on dietary modifications, focusing on small, sustainable changes to promote healthier eating habits. The dietitian will talk with you about what you eat every day. The dietitian will help you think of ways to make small changes in what you eat to make your diet healthier. Dietitians don’t want to take away your favorite foods.
- Behavioral Health: Behavior specialists, typically psychologists, help individuals develop new habits and modify behaviors to support their health goals. The psychologist on the team is a specialist in changing behaviors and making new habits. This person will help you take your goals and figure out how to make them happen.
Setting SMART Goals
The Healthy Lifestyles Program emphasizes the importance of setting SMART goals:
- Specific: Goals should be clearly defined, outlining exactly what you plan to do, how often, and how much.
- Measurable: Goals should be quantifiable, allowing you to track your progress.
- Attainable: Goals should be realistic and achievable, starting with small steps if necessary.
- Relevant: Goals should align with your personal values and motivations.
- Timely: Consider your readiness for change and choose a suitable time to implement your goals.
Bariatric Treatment and Surgical Center at OHSU Health
For individuals who may benefit from more intensive interventions, OHSU Health's Bariatric Services offers a comprehensive approach to weight loss, including surgical and non-surgical options. Bariatric treatment can be the answer to obesity and related health problems. OHSU Health Bariatric Services is a leader in weight-loss surgery and other bariatric treatment. Our team of experts will give you the care and support you need to live a better life. The center specializes in weight-loss surgery, nutrition, and lifestyle adjustments. The team includes experienced bariatric nurse practitioners, clinical dieticians, nurses, psychologist, and support staff, all specially trained in caring for obese patients and coordinated to assist with multi-disciplinary care.
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Surgical Expertise
The Division of Foregut and Metabolic Bariatric Surgery is led by Dr. Brian F. Lane. Surgeons within the OHSU program have extensive experience in bariatric surgery. Dr. Lane has over 25 years of bariatric and general surgery experience, both in the private sector and with the US Army. He completed his surgery residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, DC in 1996 and his MIS/Bariatric Fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and Cleveland Clinic Foundation in 2005. As a clinician and researcher, Dr. Lane is most interested in MIS quality applications for acute care general and trauma surgery, as well as long-term follow-up of duodenal switch patients, therapeutic surgical endoscopy, bariatric and acute care general surgery and reflux surgical problems in the morbidly obese and bariatric surgery patient, as well as cognitive neuroscience applications for surgical resident MIS education.
OHSU's bariatric surgeons have more than 80 years of combined experience and have completed fellowships (advanced training) in areas such as minimally invasive surgery and bariatrics.
OHSU offers a range of surgical options, including:
- Gastric bypass
- Sleeve gastrectomy
Multidisciplinary Approach
OHSU's Bariatric Treatment and Surgical Center employs a team-based approach to patient care. Your care team will work with you and your primary care doctor before, during and long after surgery. The program combines surgery with supported nutrition, exercise and supplements. Your surgeon, nurse practitioner, dietitian, physical therapist, psychologist and others work together. The team includes:
- Bariatric surgeons
- Nurse practitioners
- Clinical dietitians
- Nurses
- Psychologists
- Support staff
Comprehensive Support
Weight-loss surgery is a big step. It’s not the right answer for everyone. OHSU provides comprehensive support to patients throughout their weight loss journey, including:
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- Pre-operative education and counseling
- Nutritional guidance
- Exercise programs
- Psychological support
- Long-term follow-up care
Bariatric Surgery Research
OHSU is actively involved in bariatric surgery research. Surgeons within the program also conduct ongoing research in the field of bariatrics, following patients long-term from pre- to post-surgery in a National Institutes of Health study known as LABS (Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery). This study is the largest multicenter research study of bariatric surgery ever done in the United States and is resulting in multiple improvements to the care they, and surgeons worldwide, deliver. As Oregon’s only academic health center, they are dedicated to research that improves patient care. They are a leader in a National Institutes of Health bariatric surgery research project and are researching possible links between obesity and cancer.
Accreditations
OHSU Health Bariatric Services has earned several prestigious accreditations and designations, including:
- Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program certification: This is the gold standard for bariatric surgical centers. OHSU meets rigorous standards, reviews their performance every month and reports results to a national database.
- Blue Cross Blue Shield’s Blue Distinction Center+ for bariatric surgery
- Optum Bariatric Center of Excellence designation
- Aetna Institutes of Quality® designation
Steps to Success
OHSU's programs put you on a path to meeting your goals even before you leave the hospital. Our Walk to Recovery program gets you up and moving soon after surgery. OHSU's clinics, operating rooms and other spaces are designed for your comfort.
Nutrition Resources
Oregon Health & Science University's Food and Nutrition Department is committed to providing for all of your dietary needs. Whether you need the comfort of a home cooked meal, a quick bite to grab and run with, or a meal that addresses specific dietary concerns, we have the solution.
Looking for trustworthy, science-based information from nutrition experts to help manage a health condition, lose weight, reduce your risk of disease, or address other health concerns? The OHSU Nutrition Clinic is staffed with registered dietitians (RDs) who will help you achieve your health and wellness goals.
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Emerging Therapies and Techniques
OHSU stays at the forefront of weight loss solutions, exploring the role of GLP-1 medications and other emerging drug therapies in managing weight. They also provide insights into the latest surgical techniques available for weight loss.