Obesity levels in American are a significant concern, as 70% of adults are overweight or obese, with no improvement in sight. Medical conditions such as diabetes, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea are directly related to this obesity.

Demand for effective and safe weight loss programs will be with us for a long time, due to our culture and eating habits. So, why aren’t more physicians providing weight loss programs for their overweight patients?

There are a few reasons. First, many doctors are reluctant to tell their patients that they need to lose weight. Second, most doctors don’t have training in nutrition. Third, most doctors don’t have the business/marketing skills to operate a profitable program. And fourth, many feel that they just don’t have the time or staff to do it. In addition, there is no AMA or clinical-sponsored course, seminar, or workshop to teach them HOW to add weight loss to their practice. There are a handful of consultants that will do it, or one can purchase a franchise for $200,000 or more.

Adding weight loss to a physician’s or nurse’s practice is a natural fit. Patients already have a long-term relationship with their doctor, and consumers say that nurses are the most trusted profession. Doctors have a built-in client base and don’t have to spend as much on marketing and “branding” to reach these patients. Doctors are better able to address obesity-related conditions than commercial diet chains (high blood pressure, diabetes, pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, and post-menopausal hormone imbalance, for example), and can prescribe appetite-suppressing diet drugs if needed.