Weight Management Doctors come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and specialties. For every pitfall that comes with losing weight there is a specialist who can help you overcome them. While they all sit under the same umbrella, their roles and techniques can be as varied as their patients.
Bariatric Doctors
These specialists focus on solving high to severe obesity. They make up the surgical branch of the weight management field, and as such do not often perform procedures on patients who only suffer from low to moderate obesity.
Their services are mostly geared towards helping patients who are so obese that their condition actually gets in the way of their day-to-day lives. Patients of bariatric doctors are also more likely to be considered to be at high risk for extremely dangerous health disorders, such as Heart Disease or even Cancer. Surgery is often their only option before they are in good enough shape to start taking advantage of another method of weight management.
Nutritionists and Dietitians
These two specialists focus on the most basic elements of weight management. They specialize in educating patients on following nutritional diets that will promote weight loss in a safe, healthy manner. They tend to provide guidance to their patients, helping steer them towards making healthy lifestyle choices — acting almost like a coach, rather than a doctor.
Nutritionists and Dietitians do not provide any surgical help for their patients, unlike Bariatric Doctors. The extent of their medical interference can include the prescription of diet pills, vitamins, and other weight management medications. Their main appeal lies in their prescribing diet plans, exercise regimens, and providing behavioral counseling to help create and maintain healthy lifestyle habits.
Patients struggling with only light to moderate obesity should look into these two specialists when looking for professional weight management services.