Renowned bariatric surgeon Dr. Younan Nowzaradan is still active in the medical field. He continues to help and transform the lives of people who struggle with obesity. At 80, he shows no sign of retirement and is committed to helping people achieve healthier lives.
Nowzaradan became famous with TLC’s My 600-lb Life, which premiered in 2012. Throughout 12 successful seasons, he has helped numerous patients achieve remarkable transformations, earning him a reputation as a pioneer in his field.
A few months back, there had been speculation that Dr. Now would retire after dedicating 40 years of his life to his career. The Houston-based bariatric surgeon dropped the rumors as he announced his new show, The 6000 Lb Diaries with Dr. Now.
Where Is Younan Nowzaradan Now?
Younan Nowzaradan is now affiliated with St. Joseph Medical Center in Houston, Texas. He performs weight loss procedures, such as bariatric and vascular surgery.
He also expands his reach by helping heavier people with a brand new show titled The 6000-lb Diaries with Dr. Now. The first episode of his new show premiered on January 6, 2025, on Lifetime. This new docuseries follows 10 morbidly heavy individuals, with a combined weight of 6000 pounds, as they fight to lose weight and transform their lives.
Each episode follows one person’s experience as they share thoughts, physical and emotional struggles, and struggles to regain their lives. The show also includes first-hand diary footage of their experience.
Dr. Now Is Still Part of My 600-lb Life
While branching out to new projects, Nowzaradan hasn’t left his old show, My 600-Lb Life. He will continue capturing millions of viewers’ hearts as the reality show enters its 13th season. The new season premiered on January 1, 2025, on TLC.
The Iranian-born doctor has been a part of My 600-Lb Life since its first season, which aired in 2012. The show follows individuals who weigh 600 pounds and undergo weight loss journeys under his guidance.
From the beginning, viewers loved his no-nonsense approach and dedication to helping morbidly heavy people and changing their lives. He encourages his patients to follow a strict diet, including a low-calorie, low-carbohydrate diet known to jump-start weight loss in severely heavier people. He also incorporates exercise regimes into his diet.
Apart from diet and exercise, the doctor also addresses the psychological aspect of obesity since severe weight issues often have deep-rooted emotional causes. In the show, a Houston-based surgeon attempts to lose his patient’s weight by following his strict diet, and depending on their progress, he recommends gastric bypass surgery or sleeve gastrectomy.
Younan Has Been In The Medical Field For Over Four Decades
The 80-year-old bariatric surgeon graduated from the University of Tehran with a Doctor of Medicine in 1970. After graduating, he moved to America to seek better opportunities in the medical field.
In 1971, he participated in the Medical Orientation Program at Saint Louis University and continued his medical training with a Rotating Surgical Internship at St.John Hospital in Detroit. During his surgical training in Nashville, his dedication and skill caught the attention of well-known cardiac surgeon Dr. Denton Cooley.
He was offered to work with Dr. Cooley but chose to move to Houston instead. Later, he completed a cardiovascular fellowship at the Texas Heart Institute.
Nowzaradan’s career took a significant turn when he became a specialist in laparoscopic surgery. He is known to be the first general and vascular surgeon in Houston to propose, research, and adopt the benefits of laparoscopic surgery for procedures previously deemed impossible.
His groundbreaking work opened new possibilities in the field of bariatric surgery. While many surgeons limited weight loss surgery to patients weighing under 300 pounds, Nowzaradan performed safe laparoscopic surgeries on patients weighing more than 600 pounds. In over four decades, he has performed over 8,000 bariatric surgeries.
Nowzaradan’s Married Life and Children
My 600-lb Life bariatric surgeon was married to his ex-wife, Delores McRedmond. They married in 1975, shortly after Younan completed his residency in surgery.
Delores and Dr. Now were married for 27 years and divorced in 2002. According to court documents provided by Justia, Delores claimed that the reason for their divorce was due to cruel treatment and insupportability. Nowzaradan also counters the petition as insupportability.
The divorce proceedings were complicated by a dispute over asset division and Younan being uncooperative with court requests. Later, the court ruled in favor of McRedmond and was awarded 70% of their joint assets, including the family home. They have three children: two daughters, Jessica and Jennifer, and a son, Jonathan.
