A weight reduction specialist is someone who assists others in losing weight. Depending on his or her training and professional licensing, a weight reduction specialist may provide coaching to individuals who seek to lose weight, educate clients on healthy eating and weight loss strategies, or even prescribe special diets and medications to assist clients in reaching their weight loss goals. In some cases, a weight-loss reduction specialist may work as part of a multidisciplinary team of professionals who treat individuals with weight problems.
Individuals who work as a weight reduction specialist may come from a variety of backgrounds, and may hold credentials in other healthcare professions. On the other hand, a weight reduction specialist may simply be an employee of a weight loss program and his or her only training and credentials may come from his or her own experience with the program as well as company-sponsored training. Individuals who work for these companies may be trained in their company's own weight-loss plan, coaching techniques and ways to motivate and educate clients about their weight issues and developing new eating habits. Various healthcare licensing laws may sharply restrict the activities of such a weight reduction specialist, who maybe forbidden from giving specific nutrition or health advice to clients.
A weight reduction specialist who holds professional licensing in a healthcare profession may be able to offer more specific advice and treatments than a representative of a commercial weight loss program. For example, in many jurisdictions, only a registered dietitian or physician may be able to prescribe a diet to a client. Similarly, prescribing weight-loss drugs is typically restricted to physicians, and in some cases, physician assistants or nurse practitioners. Some licensed mental health practitioners, such as counselors or psychologists, may specialize in helping clients to lose weight through counseling and hypnotherapy.
Bariatric surgeons, to perform various types of weight loss surgery, may also market themselves as weight loss specialists. Weight loss surgeons often work with other professionals to screen and prepare clients who are interested in undergoing weight loss surgery. In many cases, the surgeons follow a protocol that encourages candidates for weight loss surgery to first attempt to lose weight through diet and exercise and during this process. The candidate may work with a specially trained weight reduction specialist who can assist in monitoring the patient's progress and help the surgeon evaluate whether surgery is in the patient's best interest.
