Obesity Forum®: Individualizing Obesity Care and Challenging Cases

Obesity is an increasingly prevalent chronic condition associated with substantial risks of morbidity and mortality. It is also a risk factor for some of the leading causes of preventable death, including cardiovascular disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus, sleep apnea, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, and certain types of cancer. With prevalence continuing to escalate, it is predicted that 1 in 2 Americans will have obesity by 2030. Among the groups at risk for obesity are youths aged 2 to 19 years, of whom 19.3% are estimated to have obesity. Currently, underdiagnosis and undertreatment of obesity are frequent due to shortcomings in patient evaluation, uncertainty regarding approaches that support adherence to behavioral and lifestyle modifications, and a lack of thorough knowledge concerning the efficacy and safety of pharmacologic and surgical interventions. Patients with overweight or obesity often have multiple health concerns and may see several providers; therefore, a multidisciplinary management approach is required. Obesity Forum® 2022 is a 2-part, multi-accredited series that aims to provide health care professionals with guidance on the appropriate use of therapies and strategies for delivering individualized care to patients of any age with overweight or obesity via interprofessional strategies. This session, Individualizing Obesity Care and Challenging Cases, incorporates didactic presentations covering the patient experience; pharmacological management of obesity; obesity in children and adolescents; and interactive, case-based discussions.