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Medical weight loss program

Medically supervised weight loss options without surgery

If you've have struggled to lose weight on your own, the Allina Health medical weight loss program may be your path to a healthier life. Here you’ll find safe, sustainable and medically supervised weight loss options to improve your overall health and decrease the severity of weight-related medical conditions. With the support of a medical weight management team, you’ll identify the right tools and resources to maintain a healthy weight.

The medical weight loss program uses the latest evidence-based treatments for healthy weight management—without the risks and potential complications of surgery. Options may include meal replacement products, lifestyle changes, exercise and medication.

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About our Medical Weight Loss Program

The Allina Health medical weight loss program is all about helping you explore healthy ways to lose weight and improve your quality of life. Together, you and your care team will create a specialized, non-surgical weight loss plan just for you.

Your treatment plan may include:

  • A healthy diet plan tailored to your specific needs
  • A moderately reduced calorie diet that will work for you
  • OPTIFAST® meal-replacement products
  • Exercise plan for weight loss
  • Dietary education
  • Coaching on portion control, healthy eating and more
  • Medication
  • Monthly visits with both your provider and dietitian to help keep you on track

Medical weight loss can treat the following

Medical weight loss not only enables you to reclaim your life and do the things you love, it can improve many types of health problems:

  • type 2 diabetes
  • high blood pressure
  • sleep apnea
  • arthritis
  • heart disease
  • high cholesterol
  • polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
  • infertility
  • headaches
  • back and joint pain

What you can expect from medical weight loss

The medical weight loss program includes careful assessment, planning and follow up:

  • A one-hour consultation with a weight loss physician or nurse practitioner to learn about you and your health history
  • A one-hour consultation with a registered dietitian with a dietitian to learn more about your eating habits and patterns
  • Monthly, one-on-one visits with both your provider and dietitian to help keep you on track

More information about our medical weight loss program

To participate in the program you:

  • must be an adult, 18 years or older
  • have not been pregnant in the past six months and are not breastfeeding
  • are not planning on becoming pregnant in the next six months and are willing to use contraception if prescribed weight loss medications
  • must have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher or a BMI of 27 or higher with other health conditions.

To enroll in the Medical Weight Loss program:

Complete the health history form. The health history form allows the provider to review your medical, surgical and weight history. The Weight Management staff will review your form and call you to schedule an appointment.

Email, mail or fax your health history form to:

Email: medicalweightmanagement@allina.com
Mail: Weight Management Referral Specialist
Mercy Specialty Center
11850 Blackfoot St. NW, Suite 130
Coon Rapids, MN 55433
Fax: 763-236-2044

If you have any questions about medical weight loss or would like the health history form sent to your Allina Health account, please call 763-236-0940.

Meal replacement with OPTIFAST® 

Depending on your unique goals and medical situation, treatment may include low-calorie meal replacement —protein bars, soups and more. Learn more about OPTIFAST®.

Related links

Source: Deborah Vanderhall, RN, program manager, Allina Health Weight Management
Reviewed by: Charles Svendsen, MD, MBA, program medical director, Allina Health Weight Management

First published: 12/13/2017
Last reviewed: 7/26/2021