Welcome to the OMA Blog

For more than 40 years, Deborah Juda, RD, LDN, has dedicated her career to helping people better understand nutrition, weight management and obesity care.

For years, Alicia Shelly, MD, DABOM, built meaningful relationships with patients through primary care, helping them navigate life’s challenges and celebrating their successes along the way. Today, as a board-certified internal medicine physician and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Shelly practices obesity medicine full-time, helping patients through comprehensive and compassionate obesity care.

This ignited her passion for obesity medicine and created the path for a new chapter in her medical career. One of the most pressing challenges she encountered was time: traditional office visits weren’t long enough to address the multifaceted nature of obesity. Ng recognized the potential of virtual group visits. The idea was first sparked by a colleague’s remark about the absence of group visits in medical weight loss. However, it was a patient’s longing for the sense of community they once found in a popular community-based weight loss program that solidified her vision. When she proposed a virtual weight management program, the response was overwhelmingly positive. Ng saw someone like herself successfully conducting group visits every day. Ng fine-tune her group visits. Ng faced significant challenges in adapting group visits to the unique realities of her practice and organization. Since launching her virtual group weight management program, the impact has been profound. Patients appreciate the accountability, community, and interactive nature of the visits.

Dr. Leslie Golden’s journey into obesity medicine was shaped by both personal experience and a deep-rooted passion for improving patient care.

From a young age, Dr. Manisha Chand knew she wanted to go into healthcare. "I cannot recall a time when I wanted to be anything other than a doctor," she shares. While her choice of specialties has evolved over the years, her passion for healthcare has remained constant.

Growing up as the youngest of three children to high school teachers, Dr. Caissa Troutman was immersed in the importance of education from an early age. With a curiosity and a love for learning, Dr. Troutman was naturally drawn to medicine. "I think that was why I gravitated towards medicine," she reflects. "It was learning to understand how things worked—the puzzle of the human body."

In an effort to combat obesity, the Mississippi Obesity Society stands as a strong example of the dedication and compassion that is needed to address a disease like obesity. Founded just a year ago, this dynamic organization is dedicated to improving the lives of Mississippians by enhancing health awareness and access to resources.

Dr. Raghuveer Vedala always knew he wanted to make a difference in people's lives and his interest in healthcare came from his own experiences with the field. As a child, Dr. Vedala struggled with juvenile epilepsy. While he didn't fully grasp it at the time, he later realized that the support and dedication of his healthcare providers left an undeniable mark on him. Their compassion fueled a desire in young Raghuveer to pursue a career in healthcare.