NEJM Group’s Post

More than 90% of individuals suffering from obesity do not receive medical treatment for obesity. That’s a staggering statistic. The findings in a newly published study suggest that all weight management treatment options can be effective. The challenge is helping patients find a treatment that works for them and that they can stick with over time. Our health systems are unfortunately designed to provide care for the effects of untreated obesity. But they carefully and deliberately deny access to obesity care. Moreover, primary care physicians and other providers may not have time during regular appointments, or specialized training, to handle all aspects of weight management treatment. Which is why obesity medicine trained healthcare professionals are vital. #obesitymedicine #treatorrefer

Join us on Thursday, June 8 (1-2:30pm Eastern) as several of our collaborators join me to discuss how value-based care and value-based payment can encompass obesity treatment and obesity care. We are delighted that Mark Japinga of the Duke-Margolis Center will join us to lend his expertise on alternative payment models and the work Duke-Margolis continues to do on payment reforms. The discussion will build on our recent NEHI report on obesity treatment and our article on obesity in Health Affairs Forefront, "It's Time to Plan for Value-based Delivery of Obesity Treatment and Support." #obesity #weightloss #obesitytreatment #populationhealth #chronicdisease #chroniccare #virtualcare #telehealth #bariatricsurgery #obesitymedicine

Should obesity get a new name? 🤔 Two naming controverises have been bubbling away in the medical world lately. They've got me thinking about whether name changes really address problems of stigma. ➡️ First up, clinicians are debating the proposal to replace "nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" (NAFLD) with "metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD)". Related conditions also have new names and diagnostic criteria. Some think the new nomenclature better reflects the causes of disease – much easier to tell patients they have metabolic liver disease, than a disease defined by behaviours they don't engage in (i.e. not drinking alcohol). It's also hoped the new names will get rid of the stigma associated with the words "nonalcoholic" and "fatty." But others feel these new names are clunky and confusing jargon. And do patients really feel the names are stigmatising, or would they rather just get on with treatment? ➡️ Obesity is the next condition under the spotlight. A Lancet review group will report later this year on whether or not obesity should be renamed. The word "obesity" refers to both risk factor and disease, so there's definitely a case for developing a more precise way of talking about obesity and the connections between chronic disease, mental health, environment, individual needs and public health. There's no doubt that people with obesity face stigma when accessing healthcare services. Misunderstandings and misconceptions are major obstacles to care. But again, will updating the name lead to a change in attitudes? Erasing stigma is about a lot more than changing words. I'm not a clinician, but it seems to me like there are a few issues to grapple with in both cases: - the desire for more precise clinical definitions that differentiate phenotype, risk factor and disease - the need to update disease descriptions as science evolves - the need for names that patients can understand and discuss without reaching for a dictionary - the desire to eliminate stigma and shame so people get the care they need. What do you think? There's a great analysis of all this in today's Medscape newsletter, which I'll link to in the comments. #PublicHealth #HealthCommunications #Obesity

Register today for the 2023 Obesity Symposium: Impacts of Obesity & How Employers Are Rethinking Care, Treatment & Engagement Presented by Novo Nordisk. Open to members and non-members. It's hard to comprehend sometimes, but the estimated annual medical cost of obesity in the United States was nearly $173 billion in 2019. And, medical costs for adults living with obesity were $1,861 higher than medical costs for people with a healthy weight. So just what is a healthy weight? Today it is hard to tell. Novo Nordisk has spent more than two decades researching the science behind obesity and they are committed to how this disease is viewed, prevented, and treated. Join national experts as they walk you through crucial new findings of the shifting discussion around obesity, including its impact on productivity and care choices. Learn how new data can be applied to better foster understanding and provide the guidance people need to help enhance their knowledge and apply skills to improve their health. Session Takeaways:  ~ Science – Obesity 101 ~ Clinical and Financial Impact of Obesity on the Workforce ~ Obesity Clinical Guidelines and Gaps in Care ~ Analyzing Health Plan Data for Value-Based Benefits Determinations ~ ROI Assessment of Health Plan Coverage ~ The direct impacts of obesity on your mental health Nick Vizzoca, MBA Lex Czaplicki Sara Hussey, MBA, CAE Nadine Popovich Jeff Chrobak Les Pitton Jeffrey Galino Novo Nordisk Ed Baldwin Rose Palmieri Farrell, MBA Allegheny County Medical Society Jorge Lindenbaum https://conta.cc/3OW1bjL

🌟 Keynote Speaker: Dr. Denise Campbell-Sherer 🌟 Why weight? What you need to know about the Canadian Adult Obesity Guidelines The international lymphedema community agrees that there is a close biological relationship between fat and lymphatics. In what has been described as a “vicious cycle,” we know that elevated weight can impair lymphatic function, and that impaired lymphatic function leads to fat deposition. Our standard treatments for lymphedema address fluid but do not remove fat, yet weight loss is a critical component of successful lymphedema management for many patients. Join us for this enlightening keynote address with Dr. Denise Campbell-Sherer as she provides us an overview of Canada’s obesity management best practices for supporting or achieving weight loss. Workshop: The 5A's Team approach to holistic obesity assessment and management Obesity Canada’s 5As of Obesity Management program was designed as a step-by-step framework for busy non-specialists to support obesity management in their clinical settings. Dr. Denise Campbell-Sherer and Education Specialist Melanie Heatherington lead this interactive workshop to introduce lymphedema clinicians to the “5AsT toolkit” to equip them with tools to support patients whose lymphedema is related to or impacted by elevated weight. To learn more about Dr. Campbell-Sherer, visit https://buff.ly/3PWXKsr #lymphedema #canadalymph #obesitymanagement #obesity