Wellness Programs : Health Promotion Programs and Weight Management.   

Wellness Program offered is consisitent with scientific and medical recommendations for weight reduction, reflects a multi-disciplinary approach which offers four components -  behavioral, exercise, nutrition, and maintenance, and is in accordance with the document Guidance for Treatment of Adult Obesity. It includes -    

• Screening to verify that the participant has no medical or psychological conditions which would make weight loss inappropriate, and to identify the participant’s level of health risk, classifying participants not only on excess body weight, but also based on associated medical conditions and overall heath risk.

• Referral for participants who are morbidly obese who’d require medical guidance for losing weight.

• Informed consent, explanation of potential physical and psychological risk from losing weight and regain, likely long-term success of health promotion program, full cost of the health promotion program, credentials of the staff.

• Identification of contributing factors to participant’s weight status, serving as the basis for an individualized weight loss plan which includes the weight goal and plans for nutrition, exercise, and behavioral components.

• Weight goal of participant is reasonable based on personal and family weight history not solely on height and weight charts; initial weight reduction goal doesn’t exceed loss of 10% of body weight, 1-2 pounds per week.

• Explanation of unsafe losing weight methods.

• Daily calorie level is adjusted to meet each participant’s recommended rate of losing weight.

• Daily caloric intake is not less than 1,000 calories; if less, physician monitoring is required.

• Food plan designed so participants can choose foods which meet 100 percent of all the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) except for calories. Nutritional supplementation could be used to achieve RDAs, nonetheless shouldn’t greatly exceed RDAs.    

• Nutrition education encouraging permanent healthy consuming habits based on the Food Guide Pyramid.    

• Participant involved in meal planning and food selection.    

The protein, fat, carbohydrate, and fluid content of the food plan meet safety recommendations -     

Protein   Between 0.8 and 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of goal body weight, but no more than 100 grams of protein a day.

Fat   10 - 30% calories as fat.

Carbohydrate   At least 100 grams per day.

Fluid   At least one liter of water daily.

• Exercise component must be a significant portion of the wellness program and be both didactic and experiential.

• Participant is appropriately screened for exercise using a screening questionnaire such as the Par-Q Readiness Assessment (see forms). Instruction on recognizing untoward responses to exercise.

• Participants work towards 30-60 minutes of exercise 5-7 days per week.

• No appetite suppressant drugs.

• Maintenance plan offered for continued support.

• Weight control programs ought to be conducted by a registered dietitian or by degreed health specialists with training in nutrition with consultation by a registered dietitian.

• Trained lay leaders may assist if supervised by nutrition specialist.

Note - There is an interactive version of Guidance for the Treatment of Adult Obesity at e-Guidance for the Treatment of Adult Obesity.