Overweight and obesity mean having more weight than is typically healthy for your body. These conditions can raise the risk of health problems. 

Weight gain happens for many reasons. Common factors include:

• Eating more calories than you burn
• Not moving enough during the day
• Poor or short sleep can increase hunger and add stress to your body
• Living with chronic stress can cause overeating or make it harder to choose healthy foods
• Some medicines may cause weight gain as a side effect
• Hormone issues such as thyroid disease can make it harder to manage weight
• Genetics can make it easier to gain weight and harder to lose it
• Limited access to healthy foods, safe places to exercise, or social support can make healthy lifestyle changes more difficult

No matter which of these factors plays a role for you, we can help find solutions that fit your life and support safe, lasting weight loss.

At Carilion, our weight loss program cares for people with overweight (a body mass index, or BMI, of 25–29.9) and with obesity (a BMI of 30 or higher). 

BMI is one way to measure weight, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. That’s why we look at your overall health, not just a number on a chart.

Carrying extra weight can affect many parts of your health, including increasing your risk of:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Sleep apnea
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Fatty liver disease
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Joint pain
• Back pain
• Infertility
• Idiopathic intracranial hypertension

Getting weight loss care and lowering your BMI can help reduce your risk of these conditions and even make them better.

Obesity is a chronic medical condition, and we can treat it. You never need to feel hesitant or ashamed about asking for help. At Carilion, we treat weight like we treat any other health issue—with compassion, expertise, and proven options.

Your primary care team is often the first step. They can review your health, adjust medicines that may affect weight, check for sleep or hormone problems, and give you a referral to Carilion Weight Loss Care.

We see people with both overweight and obesity, and we’ll work with you to find the right path forward. Our approach is comprehensive. No matter your starting point, we’ll help you find a safe, realistic plan that works for your body and your goals.

We build a plan with you that can include:

• Nutrition counseling: Support from a dietitian to make food choices that fit your life
• Exercise programs: Tailored fitness plans through Carilion Wellness or structured programs
• Behavioral support: Tools to manage stress, sleep, and the emotional side of weight loss
• Weight loss medicines: FDA-approved options, chosen and adjusted for your needs
• Weight loss surgery: Care through our Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence, when appropriate

All of these services connect through our medical weight loss program. It starts with a 12-week intensive where you meet one-on-one regularly with our care team. They’re supporting you every step of the way.