OAC Champions National Obesity Care Week to Change the Way We Care

by Mckinzie Step, OAC Creative Content and Outreach Coordinator 

Fall 2017

From October 29th – November 4th, 2017, the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) is joining National Obesity Care Week (NOCW) to support its mission of Changing the Way We Care about the disease of obesity.

As a founding Champion of NOCW – along with The Obesity Society (TOS), American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and STOP Obesity Alliance – the OAC is beyond excited to join ranks with this extraordinary National awareness campaign that aims to re-write the narrative for obesity care and treatment. PLUS – we’re also excited to walk alongside NOCW’s financial Partners and more than 30 Champion organizations helping to spread the word about this important campaign!

As a patient-centered organization, the OAC is no stranger to the barriers which surround this complex disease. Since our inception in 2005, we’ve dedicated our work to giving a voice to all individuals affected by obesity and providing help through education, advocacy and support.

Now, we encourage all our members, supporters and followers to help us Take Action and become some of the FIRST to get involved with NOCW2017 and Change the Way We Care!

National Obesity Care Week: The Mission and Vision

Today, more than 90 million adult Americans are affected by obesity. Furthermore, people with obesity have long faced stigma and discrimination which prevent them from seeking the care they need. In fact, half of people with obesity report they have never had a conversation about weight with a healthcare professional (HCP) – and only one in four patients say they have ever been counseled about their weight by an HCP.

To address these concerns, NOCW seeks to create a society that understands, respects and accepts the complexities of obesity and science-based care by:

• Elevating society-wide awareness of obesity, those affected by it, science-based treatments and the existence of weight bias
• Building a fact-based understanding of obesity among impacted individuals, healthcare professionals, medical societies, policy makers, tax payers and other key influencers
• Facilitating a shift to science-based treatments for those living with obesity

What it Means to Change the Way We Care

It takes entire communities to make an impact on the way obesity is talked about and cared for in our society. We need patients, family members, healthcare professionals, educators, policy makers and others to elevate the conversation about this disease and encourage care that is grounded upon education and empathy.

Unless a change is made, weight bias will continue to cloud treatment options. Stigma will discourage patients from seeking the help they need. Obesity won’t receive the same level of care as other chronic diseases, even though it’s associated with more than 30 related health conditions.

With more than 90 million adult Americans affected by obesity, all of us can likely relate to its impacts. Whether it affects our own health or the health of someone we care for, each and every one of us has a role to play in the future of obesity care – a future that we must shape, mold and bring to life ourselves.

What Can You Do NOW to Support National Obesity Care Week?

Complete the “Take 5” Pledge!

The “Take 5” Pledge is the MOST IMPORTANT way that you can help support the mission and vision of NOCW2017, and you don’t have to wait until October 29th to take it – it’s available NOW!

Taking the pledge is easy:

Visit www.ObesityCareWeek.org/Take-5 to complete the pledge
Discover more about these FIVE important reasons for why we must Change the Way We Care:

• Obesity is a serious disease
• Weight bias is faced by many
• Healthcare providers aren’t talking to their patients about their weight
• Science-based weight management options are available
• We need your help passing legislation

Once You Have Finished…

• Continue reading to identify one of three ways you’re connected to obesity as a cause and select that option for further information
• Learn how you can get ACTIVATED to pass this important message along
• Opt into emails leading up to this awareness week that will provide opportunities for getting involved and spreading the word
• Follow NOCW on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for shareable content by searching “National Obesity Care Week” on each social media platform
• Pass along the “Take 5” Pledge for others to get involved, too!

We ask that all of our members and supporters take the next step in supporting obesity as a cause, and helping us to Change the Way We Care.

To learn more about NOCW2017, please visit www.ObesityCareWeek.org.

We look forward to October 29th – November 4th, 2017when this important awareness week kicks-off!
National Obesity Care Week would not be possible without the following Partners, Champions and Access to Care Leaders

Champions:

• Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
• Academy of Physician Assistants
• American Association of Nurse Practitioners
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• American College of Osteopathic Internists
• American College of Preventive Medicine
• American Gastroenterological Association
• American Medical Group Association
• American Medical Women’s Association
• American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery *
• American Society for Nutrition
• American Society for Parental and Enteral Nutrition
• Asian Pacific Community in Action
• Association of Family Practice PAs and NPs
• Bariatric Pal
• CHI Memorial’s Metabolic and Bariatric Care
• ConscienHealth
• Council for Diabetes Prevention
• European Association for the Study of Obesity
• Healthcare Leadership Council
• Livliga
• LSU’s Pennington Biomedical Research
• National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians
• New York Institute of Technology – College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Obesity Action Coalition *
• Obesity Care Advocacy Network
• Obesity Medicine Association
• Obesity Prevention, Policy and Management
• Osteoarthritis Action Alliance
• PCOS Challenge: The National Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Association
• Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity
• Society of Behavioral Medicine
• Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine
• STOP Obesity Alliance *
• The Endocrine Society
• The Obesity Society *

*   Founding Champion

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