UHS Can Help

Your doctor can always help you make the transition to a healthy lifestyle. UHS offers several resources, including programs and support groups, to help you get on track.

For those with more serious weight problems, the UHS Weight Loss Program offers three procedures. Patients with either a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40, or between 35-39 but suffering from conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, are eligible. The available procedures are laparoscopic gastric banding, laparoscopic roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic gastric sleeve, which can help patients shed excess weight more quickly than diet alone in the first year. Moreover, ailments such as sleep apnea or arthritis can be greatly remedied.

The program also offers non-surgical solutions to weight loss. Individual and group counseling is available, in addition to support groups and nutritional counseling with a registered dietician.

There are also ample resources specifically for parents, including the free UHS Stay Healthy Kids We Can! program, which aims to teach parents and caregivers how to develop a healthy, active lifestyle for the whole family. The program features a series of classes that identifies problems and offers concrete, simple solutions for parents to follow down the path to a healthier life.

Similarly, children identified by their providers as being at risk for obesity can undergo some education of their own at the free, 12-week Stay Healthy Kids Club. They’ll learn how to make smart choices for themselves and how to stay active in fun ways, and they’ll discover new exercises and identify which foods they should and should not be eating.

A new year can bring new knowledge, routines and activities. At UHS, we’re committed to making sure you have all the information you need to stick with your New Year’s resolution and keep yourself and your family healthy all year long.