Dr. Robert Kelly Jr., a bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon at Memorial Health, recently was named a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM).

He is the first surgeon in the region to earn board certification in obesity medicine, which means he is knowledgeable about a variety of obesity treatments and can match patients with the most appropriate treatment.

“Obesity is one of our nation’s top health risks,” Kelly said. “My goal as an obesity medicine specialist is to help my patients lose excess weight and maintain a healthy weight for life.”

According to a recent study, 69 percent of Americans (160 million) now qualify as overweight or obese, up from 65 percent in 2003-2004.

Certification by ABOM requires physician to complete 60 hours of continuing medical education in obesity-related topics, and then pass a rigorous exam that is similar to those in other subspecialties.

Kelly joined Memorial Health University Physicians | Surgical & Bariatric Care in 2012. He is a graduate of the University of Alabama School of Medicine. He completed his surgical residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center and a fellowship in bariatric and minimally invasive surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.