Group Medical Weight Loss Program for Patients with Diabetes

How It Works

Revital Gorodeski Baskin, MD, Director, Obesity

This program begins with a personal consultation with a physician to review medical history, understand individual goals, and select the initial weight loss diet program. Options include the Mediterranean diet or a medically supervised ketogenic diet. Regardless of the initial intervention, most patients eventually transition to the Mediterranean diet for the best long-term outcomes. Weight loss medications can also be prescribed when appropriate as part of the plan.

The patient then meets with a registered dietitian to review all dietary components and get started.

Monthly follow-up sessions are conducted in small groups led by an endocrinologist and a dietitian, with around six to eight patients in each group. Topics vary each session and include exercise planning, mindful eating practices and more.

Program Features

The group medical weight loss program features include:

• The program led by a board-certified endocrinologist and a registered dietitian, so sessions are covered by most insurance providers
• Support includes management of endocrinology problems such as pre-diabetes, diabetes and thyroid conditions, among others, with referrals to additional specialists as needed
• Group meetings are held in-person with the option for virtual attendance for ease of access

Who Would Benefit from Participating?

Any adult 18 years or older who is diagnosed with a BMI of 25 or above can participate in this program.

This group format supports:

• Adults who strive to improve their overall health with weight management
• Adults who have had, or are waiting to receive, an organ transplant
• Females who need to lose weight as part of their in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment
• Adults looking to lose weight before or after an orthopedic procedure like joint replacement
• Cardiac patients with congestive heart failure or coronary artery disease who have been advised to lose weight