As the director of the new Obesity Medicine and Weight Management Program at Hackensack Meridian Health, Farah Deshmukh, M.D., MPH, is excited about thepossibilities for her patients and her career. She practices out of Jersey Shore University Medical Center, with an office in Neptune, NJ, and specializes in internal medicine and obesity medicine.

“So many patients tell their doctors, ‘I need help with my weight,’” says Dr. Deshmukh. “I believe we primary care doctors can do so much more for patients’ lifestyle change needs. Many doctors simply refer our patients to registered dietitians for nutrition advice, but I think we, as doctors, also can support our patients with dietary counseling—a perception that can be changed.”

Dr. Deshmukh likes to set a separate appointment for patients just to talk about weight management. She’s passionate about educating her patients about common nutrition myths and misinformation. “I spend time with my patients to understand their diet, sleep and exercise regimen, and I educate them about each of these important yet often overlooked factors,” she says.

How did you come to live in New Jersey?

I was born in India, grew up in Kuwait and attended medical school in China. I returned to India to work as a full-time doctor before coming to the United States for an internship in Houston, Texas. I then completed my residency and my obesity medicine and nutrition fellowship in New York. I had lived in New Jersey prior to that and am happy to be back seeing patients at Hackensack Meridian Health!

What do you hear frequently from patients who want to lose weight?

Most of my patients have a busy life involving work and family, and I can really relate. I can also relate to the difficulty of finding time to exercise. It’s hard for my patients to find the time to incorporate physical exercise sessions—maybe they do shift work or have family commitments. We are all human, dealing with the good and the bad. I encourage my patients to try to do as much as they can—but not to beat themselves up if one day is a “bad day.”

With my work schedule and then watching my toddler after work, it is a challenge to incorporate exercise into my schedule every day. I am very open about this with my patients because it helps me relate to them when they juggle a work-life balance. There are good days and bad, but on most days, I try to get at least 15–20 minutes of walking. This may be a walk from my car to the office (depending on where I park) or a stroll outside in the community.

What do you do for fun?

I watch movies and take long walks in the city with my husband, and I enjoy art and reading books to my baby. I even wrote a short one for him about nutrition and hope to write another one for him.

Next Steps & Resources:

• Meet our source: Farah Deshmukh, M.D., MPH
• To make an appointment with Dr. Deshmukh or primary care doctor near you, call 800-822-8905 or visit our website.
• Learn more about primary care services at Hackensack Meridian Health

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.