The first-ever National Obesity Care Week (NOCW), November 1 through November 7, aims to ignite a national movement to ensure that everyone affected by obesity receives respectful and comprehensive care. AMWA is proud to join the Campaign, which was founded by The Obesity Society, The Obesity Action Coalition, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Like-minded organizations are also joining the campaign from across the healthcare industry including The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The American Academy of Family Practitioners, and the Endocrine Society.
All the supporters recognize that obesity is a multifactorial disease that can only be addressed with the full spectrum of evidence-based medical strategies. These strategies include:
• Intensive behavioral treatment
• Behavior modification: increased physical activity, diet/meal replacement, support groups
• Weight management programs
• Physician-supervised weight management
• Medications for weight loss and chronic weight management
• Bariatric surgery
The Campaign will educate people about these care options, and also address societal barriers such as weight bias. This year the Campaign targets healthcare professionals, encouraging them to use the Campaigns trusted medical tools and resources available on www.obesitycareweek.org.
In later years we will extend the Campaign to patient communities and additional stakeholders to spark broader action. Our efforts will kick off on November 2nd at ObesityWeek, the premier international conference focused on the science and treatment of obesity.
The Campaign needs more voices –your voice—to reach our goal of achieving better care. Take the Treat Obesity Seriously Pledge at www.treatobesityseriously.org to show that you too consider obesity a serious medical disease.
More information about treating people with obesity can be found on the National Obesity Care Week website http://www.obesitycareweek.org/hcp. For questions, please contact Dr. Connie Newman (AMWA Preventive Medicine Task Force) at connie.newman@nyumc.org.
