Weight Management for Adult Populations

TBD 8:00 – 9:00AM

12 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ available

About 4.6 million adults in Illinois (36%) are considered obese (CDC, 2023). This rate is projected to increase to 52% by 2030 (Ward et al, 2019). Obesity increases risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, breathing problems, joint problems, cancer, stroke, poor mental health, and premature death (NHLBI, 2013; Bhaskaran et al, 2014; Luppino et al, 2010). The financial cost of obesity is also significant. A report by the Milken Institute (2020) estimated the financial impact of obesity to be nearly 1.4 trillion dollars a year based on the cost of care for obesity and obesity-related conditions. Despite its significance as a public health issue, its significance in formal medical training remains limited.  In a 2018 survey of U.S. medical schools, one-third of responding schools had no obesity education program in place and no plans to develop one (Butsch et al, 2020).  Without adequate training, providers may lack the confidence, skills, and resources they need to support their patients’ weight management needs.  The goal of this series is to equip primary care providers with the knowledge and skills needed they need to confidently intervene and provide additional training needed on best practices in weight management.

Topics for Case-Based Learning and Discussion Include:

• Overview of weight management – framing, language, and stigma
• Nutrition/diet
• Physical activity
• Anti-obesity medications and weight management
• Motivational interviewing
• Bariatric surgery and endoscopic bariatric procedures
• Pre-operative “clearance” for procedures in patients with obesity
• Management of metabolic complications
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease risk stratification