National Obesity Care Week calls for comprehensive, compassionate
and patient-focused approach to treat the disease of obesity
The Endocrine Society has partnered with more than 30 leading U.S. healthcare organizations to form National Obesity Care Week (NOCW), an annual campaign to advance a comprehensive, compassionate and personalized approach to treating obesity as a disease. Scheduled for November 1-7, 2015, the inaugural event calls upon healthcare professionals, patients, and policymakers to “Change the Way We Care” for obesity for the benefit of those individuals living with obesity.
“No one organization is capable of reaching all the individuals affected by obesity and single-handedly transforming care in America,” says Francesca Dea, CAE, Executive Director of The Obesity Society (TOS). “It takes a collective effort to achieve significant change and we are thrilled with the overwhelming level of support for our inaugural initiative. By working together, our collective voice is stronger, and we can achieve great things.”
While obesity has been in the national spotlight in recent years, research shows that conversations about how to address the disease are not happening where it matters most –with healthcare professionals.Nearly half of people affected by obesity say they have not been advised by a physician about maintaining a healthy weight, according to the U.S. Center for Public Affairs Research. National Obesity Care Week seeks to remedy this problem with a multi-tiered approach, including broad public awareness, healthcare professional education and influencer engagement.
Specifically, the Campaign will focus on improving healthcare professionals’ understanding of obesity as a disease and knowledge of the full spectrum of evidence-based medical strategies. “In recent years, medical research and clinical studies have advanced our understanding of the physiological and psychological complexities of obesity and how it affects the body. The scientific community has been successful at furthering our understanding of the complexity of obesity and its impact on the body,” says Peter D. Vash, MD, MPH, from UCLA Medical Center. “In today’s environment, healthcare professionals not only need enlightened access to the latest science, treatments and guidelines, but they also need tools to assist them in engaging patients in productive, compassionate and insightful conversations that inspire change. This campaign does both.”
A national public awareness initiative that both educates on the value of comprehensive care and stresses the importance of conversation could make a significant difference among patients as well. As many as 65% of American adults are recommended for weight-loss treatment based on the 2013 guideline for the management of overweight and obesity in adults, published by The Obesity Society, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology. But according to patient advocate Michelle Vicari, “Many individuals living with obesity may avoid seeking medical care because they feel alienated and uncomfortable. Finding a doctor who is engaging, compassionate and committed to working with patients to develop a comprehensive weight-loss plan can be life-changing.”
Led by founding partners, The Obesity Society (TOS), the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), NOCW will coincide with ObesityWeek 2015, the premier, international conference focused on the science and treatment of obesity.
Supporters of the campaign include the American Academy of Physician Assistants; American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists; American Association of Nurse Practitioners; American College of Preventive Medicine; American Institute for Cancer Research; American Medical Group Association; American Medical Women’s Association; American Osteopathic Association; American Society for Nutrition; Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum; Asian Pacific Community in Action; American Telemedicine Association; California Podiatric Medical Association; Global Obesity Prevention Center (GOPC) at Johns Hopkins University; Healthcare Leadership Council; Institute for Medicaid Innovation; Medicaid Health Plans of America; National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians; Novo Nordisk Inc.; Obesity Medicine Association; OWL- The Voice of Women 40+; Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity; Takeda Pharmaceuticals; The COSHAR Foundation; The Endocrine Society; and the World Obesity Federation.
Media supporters of the campaign include Medical News and Physicians Weekly.
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