Nutrition services
Fueling your recovery and wellness through nutrition
Nutrition is key in managing a wide range of conditions. At Penn Medicine, a registered clinical dietitian provides medical nutrition therapy for people living with cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, as well as digestive disorders such as celiac disease and Crohn’s disease. We also support people with obesity, PMOS, infertility, and pregnancy-related nutrition needs, along with food allergies, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and eating disorders. We’re here to help you effectively transition your diet leading up to and following bariatric surgery and other procedures affecting the digestive system. For those with complex medical needs, our dietitians offer guidance on specialized nutrition, including feeding tube management.
Working with a Penn Medicine nutritionist can help you manage symptoms, improve treatment response, prevent complications, and build sustainable habits that support lifelong health. A registered clinical dietitian works closely with you and your care team to develop a personalized plan based on your diagnosis, lab results, medications, and overall goals. This collaborative approach helps ensure your nutrition program is realistic, sustainable, and aligned with your medical treatment. Additionally, Penn Medicine’s extensive network means you’ll have access to top-tier nutrition experts at a location convenient to you.
Specialized nutrition support for your condition
Our nutritionists collaborate closely with many specialists, including oncology, cardiology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, obstetrics and gynecology, and primary care, to ensure your nutrition program fits seamlessly into your overall treatment plan. We aim to build a personalized nutrition plan that supports both your immediate health concerns and long-term wellness.
Nutrition support during cancer treatment can improve tolerance to therapy and support healing. Registered dietitians throughout the Penn Cancer System provide individualized nutrition guidance based on your type of cancer, treatment plan, and side effects.
Nutrition counseling may include:
- Strategies to maintain weight and strength
- Managing nausea, appetite changes, or swallowing issues
- Hydration guidance
- Evidence-based information about supplements and integrative approaches
Nutrition classes are also available to support you during and after treatment.
Medical nutrition therapy is a key part of diabetes care. Our nutritionists help you understand portion sizes, read food labels, plan balanced meals, and use diet and exercise to help you manage blood glucose levels and maintain a healthy weight. When appropriate, nutrition counseling is coordinated with endocrinology and metabolic medicine specialists who treat conditions such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome, creating a personalized plan that supports long-term heart and metabolic health.
Nutrition support is a key part of medically supervised weight loss at Penn Medicine. Registered dietitians work with obesity medicine specialists and surgeons to help patients build sustainable eating habits that support long-term health. During nutrition counseling, dietitians assess your current diet, health history, and goals to create a personalized plan. For people considering bariatric surgery, guidance begins before surgery to help prepare for dietary changes and continues afterward with staged eating plans and follow-up support to promote healing, prevent nutrient deficiencies, and support lasting weight loss.
Our dietitians work with gastroenterologists at the Penn Nutrition, Obesity and Celiac Disease Program to optimize nutrition for people with celiac disease and other absorption disorders. Detailed education and meal planning support help avoid complications and maintain proper nutrient intake.
You don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from nutrition services. Many people seek a nutritionist to prevent disease, improve energy, support fitness goals, or adopt healthier eating habits.
We offer:
- Individual and family nutrition counseling
- Sports nutrition guidance
- Medically supervised weight management
- Nutrition planning for illness recovery
- Counseling on the safety and effectiveness of herbal supplements
Advanced tools such as metabolism testing, body composition analysis, and food sensitivity testing may be used to further personalize your care.