Obesity Care Week 2023: Nine Years of Changing the Way We Care About Obesity

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Monday, Feb. 27, marks the beginning of the 9th annual Obesity Care Week (OCW), a five-day public awareness campaign that aims to change the way we care by creating a society that understands, respects and accepts the complexities of the disease of obesity and prioritizes accessible, science-based treatment.

With more than 130 million adult Americans affected by obesity and more than 650 million worldwide, it is more important than ever for OCW2023 to continue raising awareness, educating and advocating for a better world for people living with the disease. OCW2023 also aims to strengthen the relationship between a patient and their healthcare provider by encouraging open, empathetic and evidence-based conversations about weight and health.

"OCW2023 provides us with an opportunity to influence the way society views obesity and treats those affected by the disease. As our scientific understanding of obesity grows, it's time for everyone to recognize obesity as a complex, chronic disease that should be treated in the same way as other illnesses and chronic diseases," said Joe Nadglowski, Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) President and CEO.

OCW2023 focuses on raising awareness about what the disease of obesity is – and isn't–, providing valuable, science-based resources on weight and health, and creating a more positive and impactful relationship between a patient and their healthcare provider. OCW2023 will offer patients, healthcare professionals, decision-makers and the public practical tools designed to improve the way you receive or provide obesity care.

OCW2023 Champions and Partners stand together to acknowledge obesity as a complex, chronic, recurring disease. Despite extensive research and studies, stigma and misperceptions continue to negatively shape the way people with obesity are treated medically and generally within society.

OCW2023 would not be possible without the support of our official OCW Partners: Silver – Eli Lilly; Patron - Medtronic, Boehringer Ingelheim; Supporter - Celebrate Nutritional Supplements, Currax Pharmaceuticals, Found, Intuitive Surgical, Novo Nordisk, Rhythm Pharmaceuticals and Ro.

OCW2023 draws participants from more than 70 countries worldwide and is supported by 120 Champion organizations. OCW2023 Champions include: American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS); ConscienHealth; Obesity Action Coalition; Obesity Medicine Association; STOP Obesity Alliance; The Obesity Society (TOS); A Step Towards Community Health; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Alliance for Patient Access; American Academy of PAs; American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM); American Association of Clinical Endocrinology (AACE); American Association of Nurse Practitioners; American College of Physicians (ACP); American Institute for Cancer Research; American Medical Group Association (AMGA); American Nurses Association; American Society for Nutrition; American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN); Anisa Grantham, LPC, MAC; Assoc Brasileira Para Promoção da Alimentação Saudavel e Sustentável; Association of Black Cardiologists; Augusta University Center for Obesity and Metabolism; Avicenna Primary Care; Bariatric Medical Institute of Texas; Better Weigh Center; Black Women's Health Imperative; Business Group on Health; Cardiometabolic Health Congress; Catherine Hudson, MD; Centenario Hospital Miguel Hidalgo Center for Patient Advocacy Leaders (CPALs); Charleston Area Medical Center; Charlotte Hodges, MD; Children's Diagnostic and Treatment Center, Dra Helena; Citizens Bariatric Center; Clínica de Tratamiento Integral de la Obesidad (EITOM); Color of Wellness Magazine; Colorectal Cancer Alliance; Community Health Alliance; Community Health Network; Congressional Weight Loss; Dallas Obesity Society; Discreet Reductions; Embrace You Weight & Wellness; Endocrine Society; European Association for the Study of Obesity; European Childhood Obesity Group; European Coalition for People Living With Obesity (ECPO); European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (ESPGHAN); EWeightloss; Family Medicine of Merrillville; Florida, Puerto Rico, & the Caribbean Chapter, ASMBS; Foundation Surgical Hospital of San Antonio; Gerontological Society of America; Global Liver Institute (GLI); Global Obesity Patient Alliance (GOPA); Grand Health Partners; Hamza Nutri Care; Health Care Connection; Healthy Nurse Healthy Nation; Healthy Lombard; Healthy Women; Inclusa Health &Wellness; International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders – IFSO; International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA); Ivy Bagley; Jersey Medical Weight Loss Center; Kiran Hospital India; Kisat Diabetes Organization; League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC); LEVL; Living At Your Finest; Longstreet Clinic Center for Weight Management; Lora Grabow, LMSW; MA Coalition for Action on Obesity; Mass General Weight Center; MedTech Coalition for Metabolic Health; National Black Leadership Commission on Health; National Center for Weight and Wellness (NCWW); National Rural Health Association; Northeast Georgia Medical Center; Northeast Georgia Physicians Group Bariatric & Metabolic Institute; Nutrition HeartBeat; Nutri-Vention; Nuvance Health; Obesity Canada; Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN); Obesity Policy Engagement Network (OPEN); OCEANS Lifestyles; Osteoarthritis Action Alliance; OU Health Bariatrics; PA Foundation; PAs in Obesity Medicine; Pennington Biomedical Research Foundation; Perle E Delfini, Pediatria, Italia; Precision Strategies; Prevent Cancer Foundation; Rachel Goldman, PhD / Dr. Rachel NYC; Radiant Health Weight Loss and Wellness (see Dallas Obesity, same contact); Rainbow Pediatrics; Rivergate Medical; Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity UCONN; Saint Louis Area Business Health Coalition; Salud America! at UT Health San Antonio; Samaritan Weight Management Institute; Servicios Y Mas; Society of Behavioral Medicine; Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine; SolutionHealth: Southern New Hampshire Weight Management; Southern NH Health; Take Off Pounds Sensibly Club (TOPS); Time for a Change Wellness; Transition Medical Weight Loss; Tulane Bariatric Center; Valley Diabetes & Obesity; WeightLoss Solutions Australia; White Rock Medical Center; Wise Weight Management; Women's Weight Loss & Wellness; World Obesity Federation; WVU Medical Weight Management

It's time to change the way we care about obesity! Learn more about OCW2023 and sign up for alerts at www.ObesityCareWeek.org. For questions, please email info@obesitycareweek.org.

The Mission of OCW is to advance a science-based understanding of obesity and widespread access to respectful, comprehensive and appropriate care.

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SOURCE Obesity Care Week