AMITA Health offers sustainable weight loss programs across Chicagoland
Many complex factors, including activity level, environmental factors and genetics, contribute to weight gain and obesity, which is touching more American lives than ever before. Each case is unique, making the need for personalized treatment for weight management all the more important.
The team at AMITA Health Center for Bariatrics & Weight Loss understands these complexities and the need for individual treatment and lifelong support to help patients achieve long-term, sustainable weight loss.
“We support patients at all stages of their weight-loss journey, whether they want to lose a small amount of weight or over 100 pounds,” said Dr. Anthony Auriemma, MD, JD, and medical director of AMITA Health Weight Loss Solutions.
AMITA Health offers several options for weight management, from medical weight management programs to the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques. A team of board-certified bariatric and weight loss surgeons has performed thousands of bariatric and endoscopic procedures for weight loss including sleeve gastrectomy, gastric bypass, LAP-BAND®, duodenal switch and intragastric balloon procedures.
“Those with a higher body mass index (BMI) or who have complications related to obesity, such as Type 2 diabetes, may be candidates for surgery,” said Auriemma. “In some cases, patients may need multiple modalities to overcome their weight loss challenges.”
Those opting to engage in a medical weight loss program receive expert and compassionate support from the center's skilled professionals. The program begins with a consultation and physical exam to build a patient's customized treatment plan followed by supervised active weight loss, which includes a diet plan or meal replacement plan combined with ongoing education. Self-prepared foods are then reintroduced. Patients also receive support to help them achieve their weight loss goals. Program participants have access to nutritional counselors, medical nutrition therapy, weekly lifestyle intervention classes taught by weight management professionals and complete or partial meal replacement to help individuals form new, healthier eating habits.
Whether patients opt for surgery, a medical weight loss plan or a combination of both, Auriemma said it's important to involve a medical team in their journey. When people try to lose weight on their own, the long-term success rate is only 1 to 2 percent. It is much higher for those who attempt to lose weight with the lifelong support the center provides.
As a nationally recognized program, the AMITA Health Center for Bariatrics & Weight Loss uses leading-edge research on new techniques and technologies to help individuals achieve lasting weight loss results. Four surgical weight loss centers are located in Bolingbrook, Chicago, Elk Grove Village and Hoffman Estates. Medical weight management centers are located in Bartlett, Chicago, Elgin, Schaumburg, Westmont and Woodridge. For more information, visit amitahealth.org/weightloss.