Obesity Specialty Practice Group

I am honored to be co-chairing the Obesity SPG and am very excited to have a place for a community of NPs interested in treating patients with obesity. This disease is going to take all health care providers to recognize the available evidence-based treatment and institute the care, but I feel that NPs are perfect to treat this disease with our strong education in teaching and including the whole patient and their family in our practice view.

Welcome to the Obesity Specialty Practice Group! As a Pediatric NP who has worked in the field of obesity medicine for 15 years, I am excited to serve as Co-chair along with Angie Golden. This is an exciting time for our subspecialty with an emerging understanding of how humans regulate energy, what pathophysiology is manifested in the disease of obesity, and why some people are susceptible to environmental modulators resulting in obesity while others show more resistance. In pediatrics, phenotypes with different presentations are emerging along with a better understanding of genetic predisposition. Weight bias remains a major challenge not only as a contributor to obesity itself but also as a barrier to obesity care. NP are well positioned throughout the healthcare system to advocate, counsel, treat, and participate in research and policy. I look forward to conversations that will address all aspects of the disease of obesity, both in children and adults.