Obesity is a recognized disease, and Columbus, Ohio, offers a variety of weight loss programs to help individuals achieve a healthier lifestyle. These programs range from medical and surgical interventions to lifestyle and behavioral modifications, providing diverse options to suit individual needs and preferences.
Comprehensive Weight Management Programs
CONCI: Comprehensive Obesity & Nutrition Center
Established in 1979, the Comprehensive Obesity & Nutrition Center (CONCI) understands that obesity is a disease and offers treatments for it. CONCI's experienced health professionals specialize in safe treatments for obesity and have helped thousands of people improve their health and quality of life through weight loss.
Approach: CONCI takes a comprehensive approach to weight loss that includes:
- Medical monitoring
- Health and lifestyle counseling
- Individualized diet plans
- Anti-obesity medications
- Ongoing nutrition education
Program Components: CONCI's programs are medically supervised by board-certified obesity physicians, utilizing a combination of:
- Nutritionally complete meal replacement products
- Appropriate medications
- Nutrition education
Patient Success Stories:
- Kevin B.: Lost 255 pounds in 13 months by following the program instructions without exception.
- Sharon B.: Lost 47 pounds in 6 months, overcoming the limitations her weight imposed.
- Matt: Lost 128 pounds in 9 months, addressing concerns about reaching age 50.
- Brandi B.: Lost 33 pounds in 4 months, highlighting CONCI's ability to assist with varying weight loss needs.
- Wendy H.: Lost 35 pounds on OPTIFAST®, achieving her goal of fitting into her desired pants.
- Angel H.: Lost 165 pounds, reporting significant improvements in life and mental health.
- Margo & Mark: Lost a combined 220 pounds on OPTIFAST®, experiencing improved health and regretting not starting sooner.
- Steve: Lost 170 pounds in 17 months, prioritizing his health for his family and himself.
Additional Information: CONCI is a medical office, and most of its medical services are covered by insurance. The cost can vary from person to person based on insurance coverage. Telehealth options are currently limited, but CONCI is working on making them readily available.
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OhioHealth Weight Management
OhioHealth Weight Management provides individuals with the necessary tools for successful weight loss, including guidance on proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. The program offers counseling to address the emotional aspects of changing eating habits and instruction on healthy and safe exercise. Recognizing that each person's journey to their ideal weight is different, OhioHealth designs personalized programs to fit individual needs. The program takes the time to understand a person's life, providing the personalized resources, knowledge, and encouragement needed for success.
Program Components:
- Surgical and non-surgical support: OhioHealth offers both surgical and non-surgical options for weight loss and management.
- Non-surgical programs: These include Living Well, Healthy Living, and LEARN programs.
- Bariatric surgery options: Several options are available for those who qualify.
- GLP-1 medications: OhioHealth has incorporated GLP-1 medications into its program to enhance the services provided to patients.
Medical Weight Loss Programs
Many weight loss programs emphasize that achieving and maintaining a comfortable weight involves more than just "calories in, calories out." Factors such as hormonal shifts, genetics, and lifestyle choices play a significant role. These programs offer personalized plans and comprehensive support to address these individual needs.
Personalized Medical Weight Loss Plans
These programs work one-on-one with each patient to establish a custom medical weight loss plan that is effective, safe, and sustainable long-term. These plans are created under the guidance of a physician who considers various factors to ensure the best possible outcome.
Key Features:
- Functional medicine approach: The team takes a complete approach to health by understanding unique history, including upbringing, past medications, life experiences, and daily schedule.
- Prescription medications: Some programs utilize prescription medications, such as those originally used to treat Type 2 diabetes, to help patients safely lose excess weight and keep it off.
- Holistic approach: These programs take a holistic approach to weight loss, providing support before, during, and after treatment to help maintain a healthy weight for life.
Enrollment Process
The enrollment process typically involves the following steps:
- Initial Contact: A team member answers questions and reviews which services are billed to insurance and which services will be paid out-of-pocket.
- New Patient Packet: After completing the packet, the team calls to schedule an enrollment visit.
- Enrollment Visit: During this visit, patients meet one-on-one with program experts, including a provider for a detailed weight and medical history, physical exam, and review of test results.
Assessment Tools
Programs often use advanced technology to assess body composition and track progress.
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InBody Technology:
- Measures fat mass, muscle mass, body fat percentage, and basal metabolic rate quickly and accurately.
- Uses Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) with Direct Segmental Measurements and Multi-frequencies.
- An exercise physiologist reviews the results with the patient, and a copy is provided for their records.
- Body composition is repeated at different milestones to show progress.
Individualized Support and Education
Weight loss programs often provide individualized support and education to address the various factors that contribute to weight management.
Key Components:
- Provider Visit: A one-hour visit with a medical provider to review current health conditions and medications, eating and weight change history, lab values, activity levels, and other contributing factors such as sleep and emotional health.
- Dietitian Consultation: Collaboration with a dietitian to create a personalized meal plan based on provider recommendations, health conditions, and personal preferences.
- Exercise Physiologist Consultation: A goal-setting appointment with an exercise physiologist to discuss exercise history, preferences, and any current limitations or barriers to exercise.
- Psychologist Support: Optional appointments with psychologists to provide support in behavior change related to stress management, adequate sleep, coping strategies, and improving the relationship with food.
Core Concepts Classes and Weekly Class Series
Many programs offer classes and series to provide ongoing education, accountability, and support.
Core Concepts:
- A virtual class offered twice monthly, taught by expert clinicians, including a dietitian, a psychologist, and an exercise physiologist.
- Covers foundational concepts important for anyone starting a medical weight loss journey.
Weekly Class Series:
- Offers ongoing education, accountability, and support.
- Classes are taught by a dietitian, exercise physiologist, or a psychologist.
- The curriculum covers essential learning topics for successful weight loss and maintenance.
- Designed to be both educational and conversational in nature.
Weight Management for Children and Families
Nationwide Children's Hospital - Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition
Nationwide Children's Hospital's Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition offers a comprehensive approach to weight management for children 2 years and older. The Center's mission is to empower children and families to build a foundation for healthy lifestyles through clinical care, education, research, community engagement, and advocacy. The Center offers family-based weight management programs through medicine and surgery and programs for both the prevention and treatment of overweight children in several locations. The Center also works to prevent childhood obesity and improve care for children with obesity by training health care providers through Project ECHO and is committed to improving the health and well-being of the community.
Team Approach: The Center provides a versatile team approach when caring for children, which includes:
- Pediatric physicians
- Nurse practitioners
- Registered dietitians
- Physical therapists
- Psychologists
- Nurses
- Social worker
They all specialize in weight management and give the highest level of care to ensure the child and family's success.
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Treatment Options: First, a consultation is held to determine the best treatment options for the child and family. The family-based medical weight management programs are designed for children 2 years of age and older.
Emotional Support: Nationwide Children's Hospital understands that emotional support is just as important as medical treatment. They encourage patients to meet others who are dealing with the daily challenges of managing their weight.
Bariatric Surgery Journey: The bariatric surgery journey is a long one, involving lifestyle changes and self-reflection. Dr. Michalsky performs robot-assisted gastric sleeve procedures. The program offers free sessions that provide an overview of the bariatric surgery process.
Types of Weight Loss Surgery: Dr. Michalsky discusses the types of weight loss surgery available for teens to combat obesity and the benefits, risks, advantages, and disadvantages of each in a series of short videos.
Additional Information
Parking and Valet Services
Free surface lot parking is available for patients in designated spaces. Valet service is available at various locations, accepting cash, credit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.