Center for Human Nutrition - Division of Clinical Nutrition

The UCLA Center for Human Nutrition and the Division of Clinical Nutrition operate the Risk Factor Obesity Program (RFO) , a medically-supervised State-of-the-Art university-based multidisciplinary program first established in 1976. For over 30 years this program has provided personalized programs for weight loss in obese and moderately overweight patients especially in individuals with obesity-associated illnesses and conditions including pre-diabetes, diabetes, high cholesterol and blood lipids, heart disease, breast, prostate, and colon cancer survivors, asthma, sleep disorders, and autoimmune diseases. The Center has constantly evolved to include the latest scientific breakthroughs and has been recognized for its excellent obesity research and treatment as one of only eight centers of excellence in the nation (CORE, The Centers for Obesity Research and Education). Individually tailored nutritional food plans and supplements as part of either very low calorie (VLCD, i.e. < 1000 Cal/day) or low calorie (LCD, i.e. 1200 to 1500 Cal/day) programs are geared to reduce hunger and build or maintain lean body mass and metabolism facilitating the achievement and maintenance of desired body weight.

We specialize in three categories of individuals with difficulty losing weight and keeping it off. First, those with greater than 100 lb. to lose who wish to avoid sugery or those who have regained weight after bariatric surgery. Second, overweight women who cannot lose weight on typical commercial weight loss programs due to low metabolism including those with  body-shaping/body-contouring issues, or obesity-associated diseases. Finally, we accept physician referrals from the primary care or specialty practice setting. We work closely with the referring physician in monitoring patients to achieve the desired medical results through changes in diet and lifestyle which can result in reduced use of medications and reduced health care costs.    

In addition to the above program, individual consultations at the Medical Specialty Suites with physician nutrition specialists are available for patients with the following conditions:

• Overweight/Obesity
• Diabetes
• Hyperlipidemia
• Cancer-associated malnutrition
• Nutrition Counseling for Cancer Survivors
• Gestational Diabetes
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Anorexia nervosa/bulimia
• AIDS-associated malnutrition
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Gastrointestinal dysfunction
• Food intolerance/allergy