Local Psychiatrist First in Midwest to be Board-Certified in Obesity Medicine

BEACHWOOD, Ohio - Jan. 29, 2014 - PRLog -- CLEVELAND, OH, January 29, 2014 – Sara Stein, M.D., of Beachwood, has become the first board-certified psychiatrist in Cleveland and the Midwest to earn a second board certification in Obesity Medicine from the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM). Dr. Stein is now one of only seven psychiatrists in the US to have dual board certification.

Physicians who are board-certified in obesity medicine must not only understand the treatment of obesity, but also grasp the genetic, biologic, environmental, social and behavioral factors that contribute to it, according to the board.

Trained in surgery, psychiatry, clinical research, and now obesity medicine, Dr. Stein has been treating obesity for six years, and now practices at Stein Wellness Center in Woodmere, Ohio. Her practice offers a comprehensive program designed for individuals with a significant amount of weight to lose, typically with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. The Stein Wellness program is geared toward those who have tried other weight loss programs, including bariatric surgery, without long-term success.

“Many obese and overweight individuals have multiple health problems – both on a physical and psychological level – that need to be addressed before a real and permanent loss of weight can occur. Sometimes the real culprit is medication or fatigue or pain, not just food intake or lack of exercise,” Dr. Stein said. “Obesity is a medical condition of serious inflammation, chronic pain, disordered endocrine function, changes in insulin metabolism, altered brain chemistry, food sensitivities, serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and toxic and infectious agents. The body is ailing, and genetic signals are skewed, making weight loss even more difficult. We use a functional medicine approach to helping patients get to the root causes of these conditions and help slow progression, or even reverse them.”

ABOUT DR. STEIN

With more than two decades of experience practicing medicine,Sara L. Stein, MD (http://steinwellness.com/index.html), is a psychiatrist, author, speaker, and teacher. Dr. Stein lost 100 pounds herself using the Stein Wellness method and is the author of the award-winning book Obese from the Heart (http://obesefromtheheart.com/) (2009). In 2010, Dr. Stein received the Kaiser Permanente Humanitarian Award for Community Service for her work on Obesity. In 2011, she was named a Crain’s Physician Hero of the Year in Cleveland.

Dr. Stein is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and trained in general surgery at the Cleveland Clinic. She trained in general psychiatry at MetroHealth Hospitals of Cleveland and Stanford University School of Medicine and completed a combined National Institutes of Mental Health-Stanford University clinical research fellowship. Dr. Stein is one of a small number of psychiatrists in the country who is certified in Psychiatric Administration and Management.

For more information, go to www.steinwellness.com or call 216.831.4650.

About the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) Certification Procedure

The American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) was established in 2011 to serve the public and the field of obesity medicine through the establishment and maintenance of criteria and procedures for examination and certification of candidate physicians who seek recognition of their accomplishments in obesity medicine.

Physicians who complete the ABOM certification process in obesity medicine are designated Diplomats of the American Board of Obesity Medicine. The Board defines an obesity medicine physician as follows:

An obesity medicine physician is a physician with expertise in the sub-specialty of obesity medicine. This sub-specialty requires competency in and a thorough understanding of the treatment of obesity and the genetic, biologic, environmental, social, and behavioral factors that contribute to obesity.
The obesity medicine physician employs therapeutic interventions including diet, physical activity, behavioral change, and pharmacotherapy.
The obesity medicine physician utilizes a comprehensive approach, and may include additional resources such as nutritionists, exercise physiologists, psychologists and bariatric surgeons as indicated to achieve optimal results.
Additionally, the obesity medicine physician maintains competency in providing pre- peri- and post-surgical care of bariatric surgery patients, promotes the prevention of obesity, and advocates for those who suffer from obesity.