Robert Ziltzer

Robert Ziltzer, MD, FACP, FAAP Obesity Medicine Physician, Marathoner, Ironman Triathlete

“As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a physician. I was, and still am, always driven by the opportunity to make a difference in peoples’ lives. I care for my patients as I would my family.” He attended Albany Medical College and residency in Phoenix, Arizona where he became board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics. He began his medical practice in 1991 as an internal medicine and pediatric physician.

As a primary care physician, Dr. Ziltzer valued the long-term relationships he developed with his patients, but sensed a frustration that there had to be a more productive and transformative way to treat many of the chronic health issues his patients were facing.

“In med school they didn’t teach us how to help patients lose weight, they didn’t teach us how to treat obesity.” To help these patients, he wanted something more than a prescription pad and a referral to Weight Watchers.

This lack of a more defined medial approach to weight loss and weight-related illness was something he related to professionally and experienced personally. His father, who was moderately overweight, suffered his first heart attack at age 52 and died from his second heart attack at 57.

In 2006, Dr. Ziltzer, along with Dr. Craig Primack pursued specialty training and became board certified in obesity medicine, and introduced a comprehensive medical weight loss program in their primary care practice. The results were so dramatic, and the response by patients was so overwhelming that by the end of the year they transitioned out of primary care practice and founded Scottsdale Weight Loss Center.

“It is incredibly gratifying when I hear people tell me about the huge changes in their lives as a result of losing weight.”

Dr. Ziltzer personally believes in healthy lifestyles, and became a marathon runner at the age of 41. He has completed 10 marathons, several half-ironman triathlons and one Ironman Triathlon. He has been voted one of PHOENIX Magazine’s Top Docs 12 times. He is a national speaker on obesity related topics.

Dr. Ziltzer is married and lives in Phoenix and has two children.