TL;DR
Dr. Jedidiah Oldham, DO provides medical weight management at 972 N 600 E in Spanish Fork, combining dietary counseling, exercise planning, behavioral strategies, and FDA-approved weight loss medications when appropriate. Dr. Oldham treats obesity as a chronic medical condition and builds individualized plans that address the metabolic, hormonal, and behavioral factors driving weight gain. Call (385) 265-6060 to schedule.
How Does Dr. Oldham Approach Medical Weight Management?
Dr. Oldham approaches weight management as a medical discipline, not a cosmetic goal. Obesity is a chronic disease that increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, sleep apnea, joint pain, and certain cancers. The CDC reports that over 40 percent of American adults have obesity, and Utah’s adult obesity rate has risen steadily over the past two decades. Dr. Oldham evaluates patients with a full metabolic workup (fasting glucose, A1c, lipid panel, thyroid function, liver enzymes), assesses for underlying conditions that promote weight gain, and builds a treatment plan that addresses the root causes rather than prescribing a generic diet.
Spanish Fork patients benefit from weight management within a primary care relationship because he already knows their medical history, medications, mental health status, and family dynamics. A patient whose weight gain coincides with starting an antidepressant needs a medication adjustment, not a calorie deficit lecture. A patient with undiagnosed hypothyroidism needs levothyroxine before any lifestyle plan will produce lasting results. That diagnostic depth is what distinguishes medical weight management from commercial diet programs.
What Does the First Weight Management Visit Include With Dr. Oldham?
The initial weight management visit lasts 30 to 45 minutes and includes a complete medical history focused on weight trajectory, prior weight loss attempts, eating patterns, physical activity level, sleep quality, stress, and mental health. He performs a physical exam with vital signs, BMI calculation, and waist circumference measurement (a marker for visceral fat that correlates with metabolic risk independently of BMI). Dr. Oldham orders a metabolic panel that includes fasting glucose, hemoglobin A1c, lipid panel, thyroid function, liver enzymes (to screen for fatty liver disease), and vitamin D. These labs identify conditions that contribute to weight gain and establish baseline cardiometabolic risk.
Dr. Oldham sets an initial weight loss target based on the patient’s starting BMI, comorbidities, and goals. For most patients, a five to ten percent body weight reduction produces measurable improvements in blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and joint pain. Dr. Oldham discusses this target at the first visit to set realistic expectations, because patients who expect to lose 50 pounds in three months are likely to abandon the plan when progress follows a more sustainable trajectory. He schedules the first follow-up at four weeks to review lab results, assess early progress, and adjust the plan.
What Dietary and Lifestyle Changes Does Dr. Oldham Recommend?
Dietary recommendations center around the patient’s current eating patterns rather than prescribing a one-size-fits-all diet plan. He uses a food diary review (patients log meals for three to five days before the visit) to identify specific high-yield changes: reducing liquid calories, increasing protein intake to improve satiety, adding vegetables to each meal, and reducing ultra-processed food consumption. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases supports a moderate caloric deficit (500 to 750 calories below maintenance) for sustainable weight loss of one to two pounds per week, and Dr. Oldham uses that framework while personalizing the approach.
Dr. Oldham recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week as a starting goal, broken into sessions that fit the patient’s schedule. For patients who are currently sedentary, he starts with 10-minute walking sessions and builds gradually, because an unrealistic exercise prescription leads to early dropout. He discusses behavioral strategies including meal prepping, eating on a consistent schedule, managing stress-related eating, and reducing screen time before bed (which affects both sleep quality and late-night snacking). In Spanish Fork, where family activities and church schedules fill evenings, Dr. Oldham helps patients identify realistic windows for physical activity that do not compete with family obligations.
Does Dr. Oldham Prescribe Weight Loss Medications?
Dr. Oldham prescribes FDA-approved weight loss medications for patients with a BMI of 30 or higher, or a BMI of 27 or higher with at least one weight-related comorbidity (diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea), when lifestyle changes alone have not produced adequate results after three to six months. Available medications include GLP-1 receptor agonists (semaglutide, liraglutide, tirzepatide), which are the most effective pharmacologic options currently available; phentermine/topiramate, which reduces appetite through a dual mechanism; and naltrexone/bupropion, which targets the reward-based eating pathway. Dr. Oldham discusses the efficacy, side effects, cost, and insurance coverage of each option at the visit.
Weight loss medications are titrated gradually and monitors for side effects (nausea is the most common with GLP-1 agonists) at follow-up visits every four to six weeks during dose escalation. He emphasizes that medications work best alongside dietary changes and physical activity, not as a replacement, and discusses the likelihood of weight regain if the medication is discontinued without sustained behavioral change. For patients interested in GLP-1 medications, Dr. Oldham verifies insurance coverage before prescribing, because these medications can exceed $1,000 per month without coverage.
How Does Dr. Oldham Address the Connection Between Weight and Other Conditions?
Dr. Oldham manages weight in the context of the patient’s full medical picture, and weight loss often improves co-existing conditions enough to reduce or eliminate medications. A patient who loses 10 percent of body weight may see A1c drop below the diabetes threshold, blood pressure normalize without medication, sleep apnea AHI decrease enough to discontinue CPAP, and cholesterol levels improve without a statin. Dr. Oldham tracks these cardiometabolic markers at each follow-up and adjusts medications as weight-related improvements occur, because continuing blood pressure medication at the same dose after significant weight loss can cause hypotension.
The medications that contribute to weight gain, which is a common barrier to weight loss that patients and even some providers overlook. Medications including certain antidepressants (paroxetine, mirtazapine), antipsychotics, beta-blockers, insulin, and corticosteroids can drive weight gain through appetite stimulation, metabolic slowing, or fluid retention. When Dr. Oldham identifies a weight-promoting medication in the patient’s regimen, he evaluates whether a weight-neutral alternative exists and makes the switch when clinically appropriate.
Does Dr. Oldham Provide Weight Management for Adolescents?
Dr. Oldham evaluates and treats overweight and obesity in adolescents following AAP guidelines, which recommend staged treatment starting with lifestyle modification and progressing to more intensive interventions when needed. For adolescents, Dr. Oldham focuses on family-based behavioral changes (the whole household shifts eating and activity patterns, not just the teen), age-appropriate physical activity, and screening for emotional eating and body image concerns. He avoids language that stigmatizes weight and frames the conversation around health behaviors rather than the scale.
Adolescent patients are screened for metabolic complications of obesity including prediabetes, fatty liver disease, and dyslipidemia, and orders labs when clinical indicators are present. For adolescents aged 12 and older with severe obesity (BMI at or above the 120th percentile of the 95th percentile) who have not responded to behavioral intervention, the AAP guidelines now support consideration of pharmacotherapy. Dr. Oldham discusses these options with the family when appropriate, weighing the benefits against the adolescent’s developmental stage and family readiness.
When Does Dr. Oldham Refer for Bariatric Surgery?
Dr. Oldham discusses bariatric surgery as a treatment option for patients with a BMI of 40 or higher, or a BMI of 35 or higher with obesity-related comorbidities, who have not achieved adequate weight loss through lifestyle changes and medication. He explains the types of bariatric procedures (sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass are the most common), the expected weight loss (15 to 30 percent of total body weight), the nutritional requirements after surgery, and the long-term follow-up commitment. Dr. Oldham refers to bariatric surgeons in Utah County and continues to manage the patient’s primary care, chronic conditions, and post-surgical nutritional monitoring in the Spanish Fork office.
Dr. Oldham provides pre-surgical medical clearance when requested by the bariatric team and completes any required pre-operative evaluations (cardiac risk assessment, sleep study, psychological evaluation referral). After surgery, he monitors for nutritional deficiencies (iron, B12, calcium, vitamin D), adjusts medications as weight loss reduces the need for diabetes and blood pressure drugs, and provides ongoing behavioral support to help the patient maintain the lifestyle changes that sustain long-term results.
Does Insurance Cover Weight Management With Dr. Oldham?
Dr. Oldham bills weight management visits under standard E&M codes with an obesity diagnosis, and most of the 30+ insurance plans accepted at the Spanish Fork office cover these visits with a standard copay. Lab work for metabolic screening is covered as diagnostic testing. Coverage for weight loss medications varies significantly by plan: some commercial plans cover GLP-1 medications with prior authorization, while others exclude weight loss drugs entirely. Medicare does not currently cover most GLP-1 medications for obesity. The front desk verifies medication coverage before Dr. Oldham prescribes, and he considers cost when recommending a specific agent.
Dr. Oldham notes that patients with obesity-related comorbidities (diabetes, hypertension, sleep apnea) may have better medication coverage because the drug is prescribed for the comorbidity rather than weight loss alone. He navigates these billing distinctions with the patient and the pharmacy to maximize coverage. Families without insurance can ask about self-pay rates for weight management visits and discounted medication programs.
How Do I Schedule a Weight Management Visit With Dr. Oldham?
Schedule a weight management consultation
New and existing patients can book by phone or online. Mention weight management when scheduling so the front desk reserves a longer appointment for the initial evaluation.
Call (385) 265-6060 Book online
972 N 600 E, Spanish Fork, UT 84660
Frequently Asked Questions About Weight Management
Does Dr. Oldham prescribe Ozempic or Wegovy for weight loss?
Dr. Oldham prescribes GLP-1 medications (semaglutide, tirzepatide) for patients who meet BMI criteria and have not achieved adequate results with lifestyle changes alone. He verifies insurance coverage before prescribing due to the high out-of-pocket cost.
How much weight can I expect to lose with medication?
GLP-1 medications produce an average weight loss of 12 to 20 percent of body weight over 12 to 18 months when combined with lifestyle changes. Individual results vary based on adherence, dose, and starting weight.
Will I regain weight if I stop the medication?
Weight regain is common after discontinuing weight loss medications, which is why Dr. Oldham emphasizes sustained behavioral changes alongside medication. He discusses long-term management strategies at each visit.
Does Dr. Oldham treat weight gain caused by medications?
Yes. Dr. Oldham reviews all medications for weight-promoting effects and switches to weight-neutral alternatives when clinically appropriate. Addressing medication-related weight gain is often the first step in the treatment plan.
Can teenagers see Dr. Oldham for weight management?
Yes. Dr. Oldham provides adolescent weight management following AAP guidelines, focusing on family-based behavioral changes and screening for metabolic complications. Medication may be considered for severe obesity in teens 12 and older.
Medical disclaimer: This page is informational and does not replace an in-person evaluation. Individual weight management plans should be developed between a patient and their physician.
Content accuracy: Clinical guidance is based on current recommendations from the CDC, NIDDK, AAP, and Obesity Medicine Association. Last reviewed April 2026.