Nutrition & Diet Therapy Clinic

Nutrition Clinic at Mehr Outpatient Surgical and Infertility Center

An appropriate meal plan should take into account your health, age, medications, eating habits, and goals. The Nutrition & Diet Therapy Clinic provides nutrition counseling, weight management, dietary plans for medical conditions, and meal plans for different life stages. Body composition assessment using a body analyzer is also among the services offered by this department.
Whether you are seeking help with weight loss, nutrition during pregnancy, or dietary adjustments alongside medical treatment, your nutritional status and medical history are assessed first to develop a plan suited to your needs.

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Who Can Benefit from Nutrition Counseling?

Nutrition counseling is not only for weight loss. If any of the following apply to you, an assessment can help identify an appropriate meal plan:

• Overweight, obesity, or weight regain after repeated dieting
• Underweight or inadequate food intake
• Diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood lipids, or fatty liver disease
• Kidney disease or celiac disease requiring a specific diet
• Planning a pregnancy, undergoing infertility treatment, pregnancy, or breastfeeding
• Nutritional needs during childhood, adolescence, or older age

Unintentional weight loss or significant changes in appetite may require medical evaluation. In these situations, the meal plan should be developed alongside an investigation into the underlying cause.

Services at Mehr Center's Nutrition & Diet Therapy Clinic

Nutritional Assessment and Meal Planning

During a nutrition consultation, your eating patterns, weight changes, physical activity, medical history, and current medications or supplements are reviewed. Relevant laboratory results, when available or needed, help guide decisions. A meal plan is then developed with consideration for your lifestyle, usual family meals, and ability to follow it.
The aim is a plan that you can maintain in everyday life. Follow-up appointments provide an opportunity to review progress, address difficulties, and adjust the plan.

Managing Overweight, Obesity, and Body Shape

Assessing obesity involves more than the number on the scale. Your history of weight gain, eating patterns, activity level, and any medical conditions or medications affecting weight should be considered. If an underlying medical cause is suspected, further evaluation or referral is arranged as advised by the clinician.
Weight-loss goals and the expected course of weight change are determined individually. Promises that everyone will lose a set number of kilograms within a fixed period are not reliable. Maintaining results also requires continued eating habits and physical activity suited to your circumstances.

Diet Therapy for Medical Conditions

Dietary plans for these conditions should be coordinated with medical treatment:

• Diabetes: Adjusting the amount and distribution of carbohydrates across meals and coordinating food intake with medication or insulin. For related medical services, see the Mehr Center Diabetes Clinic page.
• High blood pressure and high blood lipids:  Reviewing salt and fat intake and identifying food choices appropriate to the individual's health.
• Fatty liver disease: Improving eating patterns and managing weight when needed, alongside medical follow-up.
• Kidney disease and uremia: Developing a plan based on the stage of disease, laboratory results, and dialysis status; protein, fluid, and mineral restrictions are not the same for every patient. Uremia also requires medical follow-up. 
• Celiac disease: Guidance on a gluten-free diet and preventing gluten cross-contact, while ensuring adequate nutrient intake. Avoiding gluten is not recommended for everyone.

These plans do not replace medication or the primary treatment for a condition and are coordinated with the treating physician when necessary.

Diet During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding

A meal plan during pregnancy should help meet the mother's nutritional needs and support fetal growth. Pre-pregnancy weight, the pattern of weight gain, food tolerance, laboratory results, and coexisting medical conditions are important considerations. Pregnancy does not mean eating twice as much; food quality, variety, and food safety also matter.
During breastfeeding, the plan should reflect the mother's needs and circumstances at this stage. If you have diabetes, kidney disease, or dietary restrictions, discuss them during your consultation. Supplements should also be taken according to individual needs and the clinician's advice.

Nutrition During Childhood, Adolescence, and Older Age

Nutritional needs change throughout life. In children and adolescents, assessing growth and ensuring adequate nutrient intake are important; adult weight-loss plans should not be used for them. In older adults, appetite, the ability to eat, coexisting medical conditions, and medications should also be considered.
When booking an appointment, ask reception about the type of consultation and documents required for each age group.

Assessing the Need for Dietary Supplements

Not everyone needs supplements. Decisions about the type, dose, and duration of use should be based on nutritional status, life stage, medical conditions, medications, and relevant laboratory tests when necessary. Some supplements can interact with medications, and taking more is not always more beneficial. 
A body analyzer report alone cannot diagnose a vitamin or mineral deficiency and is not a sufficient basis for prescribing supplements. Bring a list of all the supplements you take to your consultation.

What Information Does Body Composition Analysis Provide?

A body analyzer is used to estimate body composition. Depending on the device, its findings can help assess changes in the body alongside weight measurements and other assessments. The report should be interpreted by a specialist and does not replace a medical history, physical examination, or laboratory tests.
Measurement conditions and hydration status are important when interpreting the results. Obtain preparation instructions from the clinic, and before using the device, inform staff if you are pregnant or have a pacemaker or any implanted medical device so that suitability can be checked against the device's instructions. Body composition analysis is not required for every patient. 

Nutrition and Infertility: What Matters Before IVF?

During an infertility evaluation, addressing nutrition and general health can be part of the couple's care. Being underweight, obesity, or inadequate intake of certain nutrients may warrant assessment; however, there is insufficient evidence for a single “fertility diet” that guarantees pregnancy or IVF success. 
If you are undergoing treatment, coordinate your meal plan and supplements with your fertility team. Decisions about weight loss or when to start treatment should consider age, medical circumstances, and the treatment plan; do not delay infertility treatment on your own to reach a desired weight. Weight loss before IVF alone does not guarantee a higher chance of a live birth.
For a medical fertility assessment, visit the Gynecology & Infertility Clinic at Mehr Center. Nutrition counseling complements this care and does not replace investigation into the cause of infertility.

What Are the Uses and Limitations of Body-Shaping Devices?

Non-invasive devices for size reduction and body shaping are included in the clinic's current service list. The suitability of each method depends on the device, the individual's circumstances, and the intended goal, and should be assessed before treatment begins.
Localized body shaping differs from obesity treatment. These devices do not replace weight management, and their results, durability, and potential side effects depend on the method used. Before deciding, ask about the device's name, intended use, limitations, number of sessions, and cost.

What Happens at the First Nutrition Consultation?

1. Reviewing your needs: The reason for your visit, medical history, medications, daily routine, and previous dieting experiences are discussed.
2. Assessment and planning: Necessary measurements are taken and your records are reviewed; body composition analysis may also be performed if appropriate. Your meal plan and follow-up goals are explained.
3. Follow-up and plan adjustments: Your response to the plan, changes in weight or relevant measures, and any difficulties following the plan are reviewed. The number and frequency of appointments will be determined according to your needs.

What Should You Bring to Your Appointment?

• Recent laboratory results and reports of diagnosed medical conditions
• The names and doses of your medications and supplements
• Previous meal plans and body composition reports, if available
• Pregnancy or infertility treatment information, if relevant to your visit
• A record of your usual foods and drinks and any difficulties you have following a meal plan.

Do not arrange new laboratory tests for your consultation unless instructed beforehand. If body composition analysis or a specific test is planned, ask reception about preparation requirements; do not fast or change your medications on your own.

Mehr Center's Nutritionist

Dr. Maryam Safarpour specializes in nutrition and diet therapy at Mehr Center. View her profile for professional information, and confirm her clinic schedule and appointment availability when booking.

View the Nutritionist's Profile

Nutrition Consultation Costs and Insurance Coverage

Costs depend on the type of consultation, assessments performed, and services selected. Body composition analysis, follow-up appointments, or device-based services may have separate fees.
Before your visit, ask Mehr Center Reception about the cost of each service, accepted insurance plans, and documents required for supplementary insurance. Having a consultation does not necessarily mean that you need supplements or device-based services.

Why Choose Mehr Center's Nutrition Clinic?

At Mehr Center, nutrition services are offered alongside departments such as the Diabetes Clinic and the Gynecology & Infertility Clinic. For patients with a medical condition or those planning or undergoing pregnancy, coordinating their meal plan with medical care is important.
During your consultation, ask about the purpose of the plan and the reasons behind its recommendations, and discuss the practical limitations of your daily life, from working hours and food budget to the meals you eat at home. An appropriate plan should consider both your health and your ability to follow it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is seeing a nutritionist only for weight loss?
No. Counseling also covers dietary plans for medical conditions, nutrition during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and assessment of nutritional needs at different ages.
Do I have to undergo body composition analysis to receive a meal plan?
No. Whether it is needed and appropriate is determined after assessment. The device's results provide supporting information and do not determine the meal plan on their own.
Can a body analyzer identify vitamin deficiencies?
No. Assessing a deficiency requires a medical history and clinical assessment, with relevant laboratory tests when needed; a body composition report is not sufficient for this diagnosis.
Can a diet guarantee IVF success?
No. Nutrition counseling can help improve dietary intake and support health, but it does not replace infertility treatment or guarantee pregnancy or IVF success.
Is a diabetes diet the same as a weight-loss diet?
Not necessarily. In diabetes, medications, the risk of low blood sugar, and the status of the condition must also be considered in meal planning. Weight goals are not the same for every patient.
Should protein be eliminated from the diet in kidney disease?
No. The appropriate amount depends on the stage of disease, laboratory results, and dialysis status. Restricting protein on your own may be inappropriate, and the plan should be coordinated with medical care.
Do body-shaping devices treat obesity?
No. These methods generally aim to change the appearance or size of a specific area. They do not replace obesity treatment, and the suitability and side effects of each device should be discussed separately.
How many consultations are needed?
There is no fixed number for everyone. The reason for your visit, your health, assessment findings, and the need to adjust the plan help determine follow-up timing.

Book a Nutrition Clinic Appointment 

For nutrition counseling and diet therapy, use the appointment request service or contact reception. When arranging your visit, explain the reason for your consultation and mention any medical conditions or pregnancy so that you can receive appropriate guidance.
Address: Rasht, Shahid Ansari Blvd., Ershad St., Mehr Outpatient Surgical and Infertility Center.

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Medical Information About This Page

Prepared by: Mehr Center Content Team
Specialist nutrition review: Dr. Maryam Safarpour
This content is for general information and does not replace an assessment and meal plan tailored to your individual circumstances.