Key points
- Dietary support is part of obesity treatment, with or without medication, with or without an operation.
- There is no imposed diet: the guidance is personalised and adapted to your health, your tastes and your daily life.
- With a medical prescription, consultations with a dietitian can be covered by basic health insurance, subject to the current conditions.
What is dietary support for?
Swiss recommendations place nutritional therapy, delivered by trained professionals, at the foundation of care. They favour minimally processed food, rich in fibre and with enough protein, rather than a restrictive diet1.
In practice, the dietitian starts from what you already eat. They help you identify what can change without turning your life upside down, organise your meals and reconnect with your feelings of hunger and fullness.
Its place in your care pathway
- With medication, dietary support helps you adapt how you eat during treatment: see Medication for obesity.
- Before surgery, nutritional advice is part of the assessment2: see Preparation and assessment.
- After surgery, dietary support is part of lifelong follow-up. Its frequency is adapted to your needs. See Life and follow-up after the operation.
Insurance cover
Reimbursement by basic health insurance
With a medical prescription, consultations with a dietitian can be covered by basic health insurance, subject to the current conditions3. The team will explain how this works.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a prescription before booking an appointment?
Not for a first consultation at the Centre. The team will then tell you about the prescription needed for dietetic sessions to be covered.
What next?
A first consultation is an opportunity to review your situation and ask your questions. Possible treatments are then discussed with you. Your request is received by the Centre’s appointments team, who will organise the next steps with you.
Medical review of the French version: Dr Pierre Fournier
Scientific sources and references
Sources accessed on 12 October 2026. Reimbursement rules and information on medicines change over time.
- Gerber PA, Collet TH, Favre L, et al. Swiss obesity clinical practice guidance. Swiss Med Wkly. 2026;156:5415. View source
- Swiss Society for the Study of Morbid Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (SMOB). Directives pour le traitement chirurgical de l’obésité, in force from 1 July 2023 (in French). View source
- Federal Department of Home Affairs. Ordonnance sur les prestations de l’assurance des soins (OPAS), SR 832.112.31, status as of 1 August 2026, art. 9b (dietary advice). View source
- Author
- Prepared for the Centre from the sources cited
- References
- See “Scientific sources and references” on this page