Advancing Obesity Care While Confronting Barriers and Bias

The landscape of obesity treatment is changing rapidly. With more FDA-approved GLP-1 medications becoming available, people affected by obesity now have treatment options that were not accessible in the past. As costs decline and insurance coverage slowly expands, now is an important time to review your options and understand potential benefits. The Obesity Action Coalition
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 15, 2026 Obesity Action Coalition and the American Heart Association Announce Collaboration to Support Healthy Living BEYOND Weight Study Tampa, FL — The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) today announced a new collaboration with the American Heart Association to support recruitment and engagement for the Association’s Healthy Living BEYOND Weight™ Study, which is
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We’re proud to share some exciting news with our community: the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) has been selected as a 2025 Everyday Health Trusted Health Resource. OAC is featured in Everyday Health’s newly updated list, “8 Best Organizations for Obesity Support in 2025,” which highlights trusted, evidence-based organizations providing meaningful support for people affected by
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Support can transform a journey, and for OAC Board Member Michele Tedder, it completely changed hers. Michele’s path with obesity has included decades of challenges, from childhood weight struggles to navigating the complex world of bariatric surgery and chronic health care. Through it all, finding a community that understood her experiences made all the difference.
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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced a new initiative called the BALANCE (Better Approaches to Lifestyle and Nutrition for Comprehensive hEalth) Model. This model outlines how the administration plans to explore expanding access to obesity care with certain GLP-1 medications for people enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid. The model will also
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For more than four decades, Kevin Stephens believed what so many people living with obesity are told: it was his fault. “I always thought it was my fault; I didn’t exercise enough, I ate the wrong things,” says Kevin, who leads a human services department in Riverside County. “That’s a long, long time to feel
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A Lifetime of Struggle Shekinah Samaya-Thomas has lived with chronic obesity since she was 18 months old. For most of her life, she was trapped in a relentless cycle of weight loss and regain, declining health and delayed or denied access to supportive healthcare. Name a weight reduction program—she did it. Countless pounds came off,
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Support, education and connection can transform a journey—and for Casey Flowers, RD, her work with the Obesity Action Coalition has done just that. As a dietitian passionate about weight management and expanding access to care, Casey has dedicated her career to helping individuals living with obesity feel seen and supported. Casey first connected with the
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What Inspired Me to Become an Advocate Cherie Desjardin’s advocacy journey began in 2013, when she underwent gastric bypass surgery through a small program with minimal post-operative follow-up. As a healthcare professional, she had the knowledge and support to navigate her recovery—but she quickly realized that most patients without that background faced a very different
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Sometimes, revisiting the past can be painful — but it can also bring healing. That’s what happened for Jess at this year’s Your Weight Matters National Convention. He came seeking connection and support for himself, but what he found in the Thrive Together Program went far deeper: a chance to witness young people experiencing the
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OAC and Our Support of Legislation on Compounding by Joe Nadglowski Why does OAC engage so actively in discussions about compounded medications? It might be easier for OAC to stay quiet on compounding. We could choose not to engage. But we believe silence would be irresponsible and that individuals affected by obesity need to know
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OAC Statement About Grey Market GLP-1 Products and Safe Obesity Care People in our Community are doing everything they can to improve their health while living with the chronic disease of obesity. But the reality is that long-term obesity management is made harder by a healthcare system that limits access to safe, effective treatment options.
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