Medical Weight Loss & Wellness: What These Terms Really Mean

When you think of “medical weight loss,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind?

If it’s going under the knife for bariatric surgery, you wouldn’t be alone in your assumption—but medical weight loss has evolved significantly in recent years. Today, it describes a multidisciplinary approach to the treatment of overweight or obesity that’s rooted in science, medicine, and medical research. 

Medical weight loss programs are overseen by a medical professional: Typically, a healthcare provider or physician who specializes in weight loss. These providers undergo years of training and are deeply familiar with the multifaceted causes and implications of obesity. 

How does this tie back to wellness? Depending on who you ask, the terms ‘medical weight loss’ and ‘wellness’ might be described as having the same overarching goal—or as completely in opposition. 

What’s the relationship between wellness & medical weight loss? 

Despite what you may have been told, ‘wellness’ does not equate to yoga retreats, herbal supplements, expensive juice cleanses, or CBD tinctures (to name a few of the buzzier recent trends). It’s much simpler than that: To be well, or to achieve wellness, is to be healthy in mind and body. 

With this definition in mind, we can confidently say that the medicalization of weight loss is not anti-wellness. In fact, medical weight loss may provide one of the most empirically proven pathways to improved wellness for those who are diagnosed with obesity or overweight—at least insofar as reducing risk for health problems like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, sleep apnea, and high blood pressure. 

Curious about how medical weight loss can lead to improved overall health and wellness? Read on to learn more. 

The research behind medical weight loss

The American Medical Association first recognized obesity as a disease in 2013. Since then, there’s been major progress in the field of obesity medicine: Multiple specialty specific guidelines have now been published for the treatment of obesity and overweight, guiding the approach to medical weight loss for medical providers.  

There are now more than 5,200 certified physicians on the American Board of Obesity Medicine, an organization that provides specialized physician credentialing in the treatment of obesity medicine. The organization just passed its 10-year anniversary. In addition, new weight loss medications with far fewer risks than those of earlier generations have recently been FDA-approved, including a promising new category—GLP-1s. 

Importantly, research has shown that the medical approach is effective. One study shared at the 2021 American Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery annual meeting found that “Nearly half (47%) of patients lost more than 5% of their body weight during treatment, which averaged 17 weeks. Of those, one-fifth lost more than 10% of their body weight.”  

This study followed medical weight loss programs where semaglutide, a GLP-1, was prescribed. Participants also attended individual counseling sessions from registered dietitians every four weeks. 

With Calibrate, patients may see even greater progress: Calibrate members lose, on average, 15% of their body weight after completing their One Year Metabolic Reset.

In addition to losing weight, those who participate in a medical weight-loss program may see improvement or total resolution of conditions including: 

• Cardiovascular disease risk factors
• High cholesterol and high triglycerides
• Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
• Insulin resistance
• GERD
• Gout
• Fatty liver disease
• Hypertension
• Joint disease and arthritis
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Infertility and sexual dysfunction 
• Sleep apnea
• Depression
• Fatigue 
• Asthma
• Stress Incontinence 

Many of these potential improvements tie back to one key factor: Better metabolic health.