The Bariatric & Metabolic Institute (BMI) is uniquely focused on the advanced treatment of obesity and diabetes. BMI is the first institute in the nation to offer an integrated and multidisciplinary approach to caring for individuals who suffer from these devastating diseases in a single facility at the world-renowned Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, LA. Our team utilizes a variety of treatment approaches, including lifestyle interventions, drug and combination therapies, and surgical procedures performed in state-of-the-art facilities at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.
Obesity is an epidemic not only in the United States, but also internationally. According to the Centers for Disease Control, more than two-thirds of the US population is overweight, and nearly one third are diagnosed with severe (morbid) obesity. Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 to 39. Severe obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 40 or greater. It has been shown that the higher the body mass index, the greater the risk for associated illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, hypertension, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease, high cholesterol, and others. When patients with severe obesity have one or more of the above diseases, their risk of death increases, and their quality of life is severely diminished.
Pennington Biomedical Research Center’s research has shown that bariatric surgery is an effective intervention to achieve weight loss, with surgery patients achieving an average weight loss at one year after treatment of approximately 100 pounds (range: 60-120 lbs) and substantially improved quality of life. In addition, bariatric surgery substantially lowers health costs compared to those not receiving the surgery.
Combining forces to combat this increasingly present issue, the Bariatric & Metabolic Institute provides a transdisciplinary approach to weight loss and the control of diabetes. Our Institute includes:
Lifestyle interventions, including behavioral, dietary, and exercise approaches.
Drug therapies, including clinical research into new medications that are effective at weight loss and controlling diabetes
Surgical procedures, performed in state-of-the-art facilities at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center.
Combination therapies, that utilize surgery and drug therapy in innovative ways to maximize success.
This destination program provides an integrated care model that brings world-class research and care to those we serve, both from Louisiana and beyond.
The Bariatric & Metabolic Institute is specially equipped to manage some of the most difficult and challenging manifestations of obesity and diabetes. Experts in many medical specialties at Our Lady of the Lake including cardiology, gastroenterology, endocrinology, anesthesia, pulmonary, sleep medicine, psychiatry, orthopedics, pediatrics, and others, assist our team in providing state-of-the-art care for the challenging conditions listed below:
Extremely severe obesity (more than 150 lbs overweight or BMI > 60 kg/m2)
Patients with severe medical conditions such as cirrhosis, heart failure, prior heart attack, lung disease, lymphedema, history of blood clots, and others
Patients with prior bariatric surgery that requires revision for complications of the initial surgery or weight regain after surgery
Patients of advanced age (> 65 years)
Adolescents (teenagers) with severe obesity
