Obesity
Obesity is a chronic disease, but it’s very treatable with the right care. Virtua weight-loss specialists can help you lose weight so you can gain more from life.
Obesity affects more than 130 million American adults. Virtua’s weight-loss specialists are raising awareness that obesity is a chronic disease and changing the stigma and shame related to it. They can help you lose weight and improve your health with treatment programs that offer tools such as prescription weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery.
What causes obesity?
Obesity is a chronic and complex disease. The main sign of obesity is having a higher-than-healthy amount of body fat. It's important to remember that there's no single cause of obesity, and it doesn't reflect a lack of willpower.
Just like many other chronic diseases, obesity has numerous contributing factors, including:
- Genetics
- Hormonal issues
- Lifestyle issues affecting diet and exercise
- Medications
- Metabolic conditions
- Psychological and emotional factors
- Sleep disorders
Many of these factors contribute to obesity by affecting your ability to recognize the signals associated with hunger and feeling full from eating.
What are the health risks from obesity?
Obesity puts you at risk for several disorders affecting organ systems throughout your body, including certain cancers.
Weight loss, especially with a medically supervised weight management program or bariatric surgery, can improve or eliminate many of these conditions, including:
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure/hypertension
- High cholesterol
- Peripheral artery disease
- Asthma
- Sleep apnea
- Fatty liver disease
- Gallstones
- Gastroesophageal reflux disorder (GERD)
- Heartburn
- Arthritis
- Back pain
- Increased risk of falls
- Knee or hip joint issues (and weight loss might be required by insurance before joint replacement)
- Amenorrhea (stop menstruating)
- Stress urinary incontinence
- Infertility
- Infertility
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panniculitis, painful bumps under your skin
- Cellulitis, a bacterial skin infection that causes swelling
How is obesity diagnosed?
Body mass index (BMI) is a screening tool that uses a calculation of your height and weight to place you into a weight category, such as underweight, healthy weight, overweight, and obese.
You may be diagnosed with obesity if you meet the following criteria:
- You have BMI of 27 to 29.9 and have a weight-related health condition like diabetes or high blood pressure.
- You have a BMI of 30 to 39.9.
- A BMI of 40 or higher is considered severe obesity.
When you have a BMI of 35 or more, it’s much harder to lose weight through diet and exercise alone.
Obesity Treatment at Virtua
Virtua offers comprehensive weight-loss treatment options to help you lose a little or a lot of weight. Since weight loss is a journey, it’s realistic to expect that there will be ups and downs. We support you through your challenges and adjust your plan to help you overcome them. And we celebrate your successes and non-scale victories!
Virtua’s weight-loss specialists work with you to evaluate your health history, BMI, diet and exercise habits, and weight-loss goals to determine the best option for you. Options include:
Weight-loss coaching
We offer individual in-person or telehealth weight-loss coaching sessions with registered dietitians to help you learn how to eat healthier, track food, set goals and create plans to achieve them.
Complete weight management program
We offer FDA-approved weight-loss medications and bariatric surgery as tools to help you reach your weight loss and health goals. To support your success, we combine these tools with psychological evaluations and counseling, nutritional and fitness counseling, support groups, and one-on-one guidance from a weight management navigator.
Virtua's board-certified bariatric surgeons offer minimally invasive and robotic bariatric surgery options, including gastric sleeve, gastric bypass, duodenal, modified duodenal switch (SADI-S), and revision surgeries.
We're here for you if you’re ready to explore your weight-loss options.
Virtua Weight-Loss Specialists
Virtua's board-certified obesity medicine doctors are invested in your health and helping you achieve long-lasting weight loss.
The Virtua Difference for Obesity Care
National accreditation
The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) designated Virtua Health as a comprehensive bariatric surgery center. This accreditation means our program meets nationally recognized bariatric surgical standards for safe, patient-centered care. It also demonstrates how Virtua’s comprehensive program offers the surgical, nutrition, fitness, behavioral, and emotional support you need to meet your weight-loss goals.
National accreditation
The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP) designated Virtua Health as a comprehensive bariatric surgery center. This accreditation means our program meets nationally recognized bariatric surgical standards for safe, patient-centered care. It also demonstrates how Virtua’s comprehensive program offers the surgical, nutrition, fitness, behavioral, and emotional support you need to meet your weight-loss goals.
Experienced weight-loss specialists and surgeons
Many of Virtua's board-certified obesity medicine specialists are also experienced bariatric surgeons, providing assurance that you're in good hands with experts vested in helping their patients achieve a lifetime of health and wellness.
Experienced weight-loss specialists and surgeons
Many of Virtua's board-certified obesity medicine specialists are also experienced bariatric surgeons, providing assurance that you're in good hands with experts vested in helping their patients achieve a lifetime of health and wellness.
Robotic bariatric surgery
Virtua was the first health system in South Jersey providing robotic surgery for bariatric procedures and bariatric revision surgery. The benefits include less pain, lower risk of infection, and decreased length of stay after surgery.
Robotic bariatric surgery
Virtua was the first health system in South Jersey providing robotic surgery for bariatric procedures and bariatric revision surgery. The benefits include less pain, lower risk of infection, and decreased length of stay after surgery.
Lifetime support
Your treatment doesn't end after you've reached your weight-loss goal. Our weight-loss specialists, navigators, dietitians, and behavioral specialists stay connected to support you throughout your journey. We help you stay accountable to your goals and weight-loss success through check-ins with the team and our monthly support group.
Lifetime support
Your treatment doesn't end after you've reached your weight-loss goal. Our weight-loss specialists, navigators, dietitians, and behavioral specialists stay connected to support you throughout your journey. We help you stay accountable to your goals and weight-loss success through check-ins with the team and our monthly support group.
Schedule a consultation
Let’s connect to talk about your weight-loss options.
Obesity Care Quick links
How can we help you?
Join a virtual Complete Weight Management Information Session
Meet Virtua’s weight management team to learn about our weight-loss medications or bariatric surgery programs, which offer the tools and support to help you lose weight and gain health.
Are you thinking about bariatric surgery?
Join us for a free information session to learn more about surgical options for weight loss. Meet Virtua's board-certified bariatric surgeons and see how bariatric surgery can help you reach your health and wellness goals.