Tampa, Fla. – Our Nation’s Capital, Washington, DC, played host to the OAC’s 5th Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention, where more than 600 registrants had the opportunity to unite, inspire and engage with each other while learning from the country’s leading experts in weight management on how to better manage their weight and health. YWM2016 welcomed a record-breaking attendance, and presented more than 50 educational topics on the broad spectrum of weight management, all geared toward the everyday individual looking for the right information to help in their weight management journey. But most importantly, this year’s Convention carried  a unique tone, as Convention veterans and first-time attendees came together and forged relationships to help sustain their new-found knowledge and key learnings from this inspiring weekend!

Taking full advantage of Convention’s host city this year, the OAC also sent more than two dozen members to Capitol Hill and visited 34 legislative offices to help move our efforts forward in advocating for National Obesity Care Week. In addition, during the OAC’s visit to the office of U.S. Senator Tom Carper (D-Del.), our team also presented his office an award recognizing them for their continual efforts as an obesity champion on the Hill and integral role in advocating for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act.

“From our packed days of amazing educational sessions, led by the nation’s most sought-after experts, to our positively strong efforts on the Hill, this was such an amazing year to truly showcase the OAC’s core principles of education, advocacy and support. None of our accomplishments would be possible without our membership, and we’re very thankful for their undying passion and support of the OAC,” said Joe Nadglowski, OAC President and CEO.

The OAC was also pleased to honor outstanding OAC members during our 5th Annual OAC Awards Reception. The winners of the OAC 2016 Annual Awards are as follows: OAC Member of the Year – Nikki Massie; Healthcare Provider Advocate of the Year – Deborah Bade Horn, DO, MPH, FOMA; Chairman’s Award – Michelle Vicari; Barbara Thompson Award for Advocacy – Ava J. Zebrick; Bias Buster of the Year – Reeger Cortell, FNP-C; Community Leader of the Year – Natalie Heidrich, MS; and the Dr. Blackstone Outstanding Membership Recruitment by a Physician Award – New Life Center for Bariatric Surgery. The OAC congratulates all of this year’s winners.

“As we look ahead to the future, with our recently unveiled five-year goals charting our course, the relationships and communities built at YWM2016 will help further the OAC in our fight for access to care, weight bias, education, visibility and much more,” said Amber Huett-Garcia, MPA, OAC Chairwoman.

YWM2016 would not have been possible without the support of our Convention National Sponsors. The OAC would like to recognize all of the outstanding corporate supporters of YWM2016: Platinum – Novo Nordisk; Gold – Apollo Endosurgery; Silver – Eisai, Orexigen; Bronze – Aspire Bariatrics, Celebrate Bariatric Vitamins, Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Geisinger, KVK Tech, Michael’s Plastic Surgery, VBloc, and Weight Watchers.

In its fifth year, YWM2016 fortified a strong and passionate community of individuals ready to take the next step and engage in their health, with each other and most importantly – the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC). With more than 36 states and four countries represented, YWM2016 proved to have a global reach encouraging evidence-based education on weight and health, activism, support, engagement and much more.

The OAC is excited to announce that the 6th Annual Your Weight Matters National Convention will take place in New Orleans at the Sheraton New Orleans on August 10-13, 2017. Learn more at www.YWMConvention.com.

The Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), a more than 54,000 member-strong National nonprofit organization, is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals affected by the disease of obesity through education, advocacy and support.