Marquette General Foundation

For You. For the U.P. For Life

Small device paying huge dividends

Nutrition and Wellness Department at Marquette General benefits from philanthropic giving

Seated and fully relaxed, Angie Davis (in photo) of Marquette breathed slowly into a small mouthpiece. Within 10 minutes, she had a clearer understanding of how her body burns calories.

“It was easy to do. I was surprised with the results … the number of calories I should be consuming and what I now need to do to lose weight,” Davis said. Davis was among one of the first people at Marquette General Hospital to use the MedGem, an FDA-approved hand-held device that quickly and accurately measures one’s resting metabolic rate (RMR), or how many calories one burns over a 24-hour period. The MedGem, priced at more than $2,600, was purchased from MGHS employee contributions to the Younkers “Get Casual For a Cause” Employee Jeans Program. For a $1 a week contribution to the Marquette General Foundation, employees are permitted to wear jeans on Fridays.

The MedGem, available in the Nutrition and Wellness Department at Marquette General, is an important component in maintaining a healthy weight. By knowing one’s RMR, a patient can determine exactly how many calories they should eat to lose or maintain a healthier weight. With this information, a personalized meal plan can be designed for optimal weight loss. Said Sherri Rule, a Registered Dietitian in the Nutrition and Wellness Department: “Metabolism varies widely from person to person, and this is an important tool for us. We’re very happy to be able to offer the MedGem to our clients.”

“You develop bad habits over time, and with these results, I now know I have to make more conscious choices of the foods I eat,” Davis said. “I would recommend it to others and hope people take advantage of it like me.” The Nutrition and Wellness Department works in conjunction with the Weight Loss Center to assist with weight management goals.

For more information about the MedGem, contact the Nutrition and Wellness Department at 1-800-562-9753, ext. 3221. For more information about the Marquette General Foundation, visit www.mgh.org/foundation or call 225-6914.