The Rippe Health team offers a variety of clinical services for individuals seeking to improve their health, lower their risk of chronic disease, improve their quality of life, or simply to look and feel better.

These clinical services are delivered by Rippe Health professionals utilizing the same state of the art equipment utilized by our high level research team and based on expertise gathered over many years with counseling patients and conducting research trials, which has resulted in over 400 academic publications.

Rippe Health is the worldwide leader in clinical application and research in the area of "lifestyle medicine", the science of how daily habits and actions impact on both short and long health and quality of life.

iDexa Body Composition Assessment

The iDexa equipment involves dual emission x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) used to measure body fat, lean muscle tissue, as well as bone mineral density. This highly sophisticated, research quality measurement allows the individual to determine not only total body fat but regional body fat as well. This is important because abdominal fat carries the highest risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Participants in the iDexa consultation will receive a very low dose of radiation much less than a typical x-ray, however a negative pregnancy test is required of all women prior to the DXA scan.

This assessment also involves a 30 minute consultation with a research nurse, nutritionist, or exercise physiologist.

The Rippe Health price for this assessment is $275.

Fitness Consultation

In the fitness consultation, participants are given a one-on-one assessment with an exercise physiologist to review personal goals. Flexibility, strength, and endurance are all assessed. Individuals are tested for their maximum strength in the upper body, lower body, and flexibility and are given an exercise prescription based on goals and findings from the tests as well as their overall fitness goals and aspirations.

A 30 minute consultation with an exercise physiologist is provided as part of this assessment.

The Rippe Health price for this assessment is $200.

Treadmill Fitness Test

This test is designed to determine the individual's level of aerobic fitness, which is a function of how well the heart works and how effective the muscles utilize oxygen. Participants will walk, jog, or run on the treadmill while attached to the electrocardiogram machine (EKG). The test is performed up to a person's maximum comfort level and is stopped or completed upon the individual's request.

The treadmill fitness test has a specific health questionnaire that needs to be completed prior to the testing visit with along clothing requirements (running or fitness shoes and fitness clothes).

Two forms of this test are available:

With estimated oxygen consumption $200.

With direct measure oxygen consumption (V02Max) $300.

Nutrition Consultation

Ideal for those who want to improve their nutrition, this one hour consultation is delivered by a Rippe Health researcher with both Masters of Nutrition (MS) and Registered Dietitian (RD) degrees.

The price for this assessment is $150.

Medically Supervised Weight Management

This assessment is ideal for people who want to have a medically supervised and effective way to achieve healthy weight loss. Individuals undergo an initial body composition test and blood work followed by a consultation where detailed nutrition and exercise plans are developed. These plans are then followed for 8 weeks with weekly contact from a Rippe Health staff member. The body composition test as well as a follow up consulting session is repeated in 8 weeks.

The price for this program is $1200.

Nutrition Consultation with 3 day food record

This is a two session evaluation. During the first session the individual is taught how to fill out a 3 day food record listing all the foods and portion sizes of these foods that he/she eats over a three day period. The individual then fills this 3 day food record out and returns to Rippe Health for a specific nutrition consultation based on the foods that have been listed on the 3 day food record.

The price for this consultation is $400.

The leader in Lifestyle Medicine and Medically Supervised Weight Management

The Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health is focused on the prevention and treatment of obesity, diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

There is no longer any serious question that there are profound linkages between being overweight or obese and adverse health consequences. The epidemic of overweight and obesity in the United States has played a major role in driving such diverse diseases as heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, lipid problems and even osteoarthritis and many cancers.

Over the last ten years, Rippe Health has been the leading clinical and research team in the world in the area of healthy weight management. The Rippe Health team has carried out important research projects which have led to fundamentally new understandings about the linkages between weight and health. Over 5,000 individuals have come through research projects related to weight and health through our research arm at Rippe Lifestyle Institute over the past decade. Rippe Health is proud to offer to the public the comprehensive weight management program developed at Rippe Lifestyle Institute and provided by the same team of researchers which have published over 100 research articles and five books on the area of healthy weight management.

If you are serious about finally taking the steps to control your weight, lower your risk for or prevent diabetes and other metabolic diseases and improve your health, the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health is for you.

WEIGHT AND HEALTH

The epidemic of overweight and obesity in the United States has led to a variety of detrimental health consequences. In fact, obesity in the United States is the second leading cause of preventable death (second only to cigarette smoking) and in the next decade it is projected that overweight and obesity will overtake cigarette smoking and become the leading cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Here are some of the specifics:

Weight and Heart Disease:

Heart disease is by far the leading cause of death amongst both men and women in the United States every year and is responsible for over 37% of all deaths each year. Adult weight gain, overweight status and obesity are all significant, independent risk factors for heart disease in addition to their well known association with other risk factors for heart disease such as elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Lipid Problems:

According to Framingham Heart Study, overweight and obesity cause over half of all lipid problems. Excess weight leads to a complex set of lipid problems including elevated cholesterol, diminished HDL (the good form of cholesterol) and elevated LDL (one of the bad forms of cholesterol).

Hypertension:

Over 72 million adults in the United States, 1/3 of the adult population, suffer from hypertension. According to Framingham Heart Data, 40-70% of all hypertension is linked to overweight status or obesity. For overweight individuals with hypertension, weight loss is the first line of defense and a reliable way of lowering blood pressure.

Diabetes:

The prevalence of diabetes in the United States has increased 700% in the last 40 years and 80% in the last decade. The rising prevalence in overweight and obesity is responsible for over 85% of all diabetes. Glucose intolerance which is a pre-diabetic state and is five times as prevalent as diabetes is also strongly associated with overweight and obesity. The good news is even small amounts of weight loss (on the order of 5-7%) have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of progression from glucose intolerance to full blown diabetes by 60%. All patients at the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health go through comprehensive screening for both diabetes and the pre-diabetic condition of glucose intolerance. Rippe Health clinicians use state of the art equipment and techniques pioneered by our research tem to offer a sophisticated approach to these complex issues not available anywhere else in the world.

Metabolic Syndrome:

Fully one quarter of the adult population in the United States suffers from the metabolic syndrome which is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities including glucose intolerance, high blood pressure and lipid problems. Virtually all cases of the Metabolic syndrome are caused by overweight and obesity. The metabolic syndrome is frequently not diagnosed and yet it is a major risk factor for both diabetes and heart disease. The only proven therapy for the Metabolic syndrome is weight loss. Rippe Health researchers have published widely in this area and offer research proven techniques for early diagnosis and treatment.

Osteoarthritis:

It may surprise you to learn that obesity is the leading cause of osteoarthritis in women and the second leading cause of osteoarthritis in men. Osteoarthritis is the leading cause of lost work days and disability among individuals over the age of 60 in the United States.

Cancer:

It may surprise you that 20% of all cancers are linked to overweight status or obesity. Excess weight is particularly strongly associated with hormonally sensitive cancers such as breast cancer and prostate cancer.

WHAT IS MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:

Medically supervised weight management is, as the name suggests, the development of an individualized program under the supervision of physicians, nurses, exercise physiologists and nutritionists with a goal of achieving permanent weight loss and all of the beneficial health consequences that come from this.

The Rippe Lifestyle Institute Team has conducted numerous landmark studies over the past decade on the linkages between weight loss and multiple health benefits. The RLI team has a long standing background and profound knowledge of what works and what does not work in the area of weight and health. The same team that has conducted numerous research projects involving over 5,000 research subjects over the past decade applies the principles of what works and what does not to develop the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health.

RIPPE HEALTH BACKGROUND IN HEALTHY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND METABOLISM:

The Rippe Health team possesses a vast background in developing programs for individuals and publishing research on the interface between weight management and health. The Rippe Health team consists of the same individuals who have published over 100 research articles and 5 books on the principles of Healthy Weight Management. The team has published groundbreaking research on the linkages between weight loss and reduction in risk of heart disease, lipid problems, hypertension, diabetes, the Metabolism Syndrome and osteoarthritis.

To review the complete listing of these publications click here. The RLI team develops weight management programs between 1,000 and 1,500 research subjects every year. In addition, the RLI team provides the key weight management and metabolism services for Dr. Rippe’s executive health program, the Rippe Health Evaluation.

The Rippe Health team is headed by Dr. Rippe himself, a Board Certified Cardiologist and internationally renowned physician and researcher. Dr. Rippe is assisted by a high level group of researchers in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology including masters level Nutritionists and masters level Exercise Physiologists. All full time research and clinical staff at Rippe Health have at least a Masters Degree in a field related to nutrition, metabolism or exercise physiology.

WHO NEEDS MEDICALLY SUPERVISED WEIGHT MANAGEMENT:

Medically supervised weight management through the Comprehensive Weight Management Program at Rippe Lifestyle Institute is strongly urged for individuals with any of the following conditions:

• Any individual who is more that 30 pounds above healthy weight.
• Any individual who has gained more than 20 pounds as an adult.
• Any individual with one or more risk factors for chronic disease (e.g., high blood pressure, lipid problems, diabetes or glucose intolerance, the Metabolic syndrome or osteoarthritis.)

Any individual who is overweight who is willing to make a commitment to finally solving what, for most people, is a life long struggle.

THE MEDICAL WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND METABOLISM CLINIC AT RIPPE HEALTH:

Every individual who comes through the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic Program at Rippe Health will receive a detailed and comprehensive evaluation followed by the development of an individualized plan, ongoing counseling sessions, repeat testing and a maintenance program. These services have been drawn from the RLI research experience to maximize both weight loss and maintenance of weight loss and health benefits.

THE COMPREHENSIVE INITIAL EVALUATION:

The Comprehensive Initial Evaluation will include the following tests:

• Complete Blood Work - This includes fasting, blood sugar, insulin level, lipid profile and 20 other tests.
• Height, Weight and Waist Circumference - Will be obtained on all individuals utilizing the same techniques employed in RLI weight management research project. These measurements will allow the computation of the “vital signs” of obesity including body mass index.
• Complete Physical Examination – Complete physical examination will be performed by a nurse or a physician
• Electrocardiogram/Treadmill Test – A baseline electrocardiogram followed by an exercise tolerance test on a treadmill will be performed. Both to determine baseline fitness level and also to determine if any underlining cardiac abnormality exits. Test results will be reviewed by a Cardiologist.
• Oral Glucose Tolerance Test – A 2 hour oral glucose tolerance test will be performed both to rule-out diabetes and also to determine whether or not baseline glucose intolerance is present (a significant risk factor for diabetes).
• Body Composition – By air displacement plethysmography. This test provides a search based scientifically accurate assessment of lean body mass and total body fat.
• Regional Body Fat – By i-DXA. This test relies on advanced equipment manufactured by General Electric Healthcare. It utilizes research based algorithms provided by Rippe Lifestyle Institute Researchers to accurately assess regional body fat. Regional body fat is highly correlated with diabetes and heart disease.
• Three Day Food Record – Individuals will be instructed on how to keep an accurate three day food record and asked to mail it in prior to their second appointment. This three day food record will allow the Rippe Health Nutritionists to determine current levels of calorie intake as well as nutrient intake utilizing the research base programs available through the Minnesota Nutrient Data Bank.
• Genetic Testing – Accumulating evidence now suggests that some individuals who are overweight or obese are more genetically susceptible to certain diseases. Genetic Testing in this area will be available for selected patients.

All of the above tests will be reviewed by the multi-disciplinary Rippe Health Weight Management Team, including nutritionists, exercise physiologists, nurse internists and, if necessary, a cardiologist. These individuals will all provide input for the development of an individualized plan.

INDIVIDUALIZED WEIGHT MANAGEMENT PLAN:

A trained Rippe Health professional with at least a Masters Degree in nutrition, exercise physiology or nursing will meet with the individual a week after the comprehensive evaluation and provide a detailed individualized plan for weight management as well as a review of all tests that have been performed. The individualized plan will provide specific menus and exercise programs as well as a plan to achieve desired weight loss goals and improve outcomes. If either diabetes or glucose intolerance is discovered, the plan will be modified to treat these conditions.

WEEKLY COUNSELING SESSIONS:

Weekly counseling sessions will occur including the following:

• Weigh-In – 30 Minute Counseling Session - with RLI exercise physiologist and/or nutritionist. At each session the RLI client will review progress to date and have an opportunity to have questions answered or discuss issues that have developed over the preceding week.

REPEAT TESTING:

At the end of twelve weeks, selected parameters from the comprehensive evaluation testing will be performed. These will focus on particular health issues uncovered in the initial comprehensive evaluation.

MAINTENANCE PROGRAM:

A maintenance program is available with counseling sessions and weigh ins on a monthly basis as well as the opportunity to interact with the primary RLI counselor on an ongoing basis via e-mail and the internet.

FEES:

The fees for the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health can be discussed with the Rippe Health Client Services Director and will be based on services rendered and those options that have been chosen. It is important to understand that the RLI patient is responsible for all fees for services rendered and that no insurance is accepted by the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health.

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT THE MEDICAL WEIGHT MANAGEMENT AND METABOLISM CLINIC AT RIPPE HEALTH:

All patients who come to the Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health can expect to be treated with privacy, dignity, expertise and caring. These are the hallmarks that have made Rippe Health the premiere research and clinical organization in the area of weight management and other aspects of how daily habits and actions impact on health.

The Medical Weight Management and Metabolism Clinic at Rippe Health is part of a larger effort that Rippe Lifestyle Institute has undertaken in the area of “Lifestyle Medicine.” Dr. Rippe and colleague are coined the term Lifestyle Medicine to designate the study and application of principles enabling individuals to change aspects of their lifestyle in order to improve good health.

You can also expect to see a great deal of activity as our organization continues to perform research in cutting edge lifestyle medicine areas such as weight management, proper nutrition, physical activity, reduction of risk factors for heart disease, etc.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

In the United States, we are suffering from an epidemic of overweight and obesity which is doing serious damage to the health of many individuals. In our experience at Rippe Health over the last 20 years, we have discovered that most people underestimate the long term health consequences of being even a little bit overweight. Rippe Health is dedicated to helping individuals regain control of their life and their health through healthy weight management.

Rippe Health is pleased to accept referrals from physicians or other healthcare professionals who wish to have their patients receive complete lifestyle and health evaluations through the facilities and expertise of Rippe Health.