The Obesity Society

Abstract Submission for The Obesity Society's 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting is now Open

Abstract submission for The Obesity Society’s 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting, October 3 – 7, 2008, in Phoenix, AZ, is now open. We use a completely online system for scientific abstract creation, submission, review, and publication. This system is fully integrated with our online Live Learning Center and streamlines the processes by which investigators create and submit their abstracts. All accepted abstracts will be published online as well as in print.

For 2008, the submission fee is $50 per abstract.

Go to the login page for The Obesity Society’s Abstract Submission site at http://www.softconference.com/naaso/2008abstracts.asp. If you established an Abstract Submission Account in this system for a previous Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting and are using the same e-mail address, you will not have to establish a new account in 2008. Simply use the “Register/Password Reminder” section to receive an e-mail reminding you of your password. This will save you time and will allow you to quickly begin creating your new abstracts.

Be sure to download the Instructions for Authors, General Guidelines for Submission, and Guidelines for Avoiding Pejorative Language and Images files that appear on the main page of the Abstract Submission Site. For 2008, there are new abstract submission categories and a new review/verification step prior to paying for and submitting your abstract.

The deadline for final submission of all abstracts is 11:59 PM (23:59), Eastern Time, on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. THERE WILL NOT BE A LATE SUBMISSION PERIOD.

Information and Agenda for The Obesity Society's 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting is now Available

The Obesity Society's 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting will be held from October 3 - 7, 2008 at the Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix AZ. The Society's Annual Meeting Program Committee has selected the topics and speakers for the education sessions at the meeting.

Click here to go to the 2008 Annual Scientific Meeting Webpage for the most current information about the meeting.

Click here to view the most up-to-date copy of the Preliminary Program for the meeting. Be advised that the agenda and invited speakers are subject to change.

New Programs on Obesity Online

There have been several new slide deck programs launched as CME programs on The Obesity Society's Obesity Online education site:

Bariatric Surgery for the Treatment of Obesity

In this program, Dr. Samuel Klein, MD, MS, and Harvey Dr. Sugerman, MD, present an overview of surgical therapies for the management of severe obesity. They discuss the indications, contraindications, postoperative complications, and expected long-term results from each of the bariatric surgical procedures currently being performed in the United States.

Weight Bias and its Social, Economic, and Health Impact

In this program, Dr. Rebecca Puhl, PhD, and Dr. Kelly Brownell, PhD, present and discuss the growing body of scientific evidence which demonstrates that weight bias among employers, educators, parents, and the media has serious, negative social, economic, and health consequences. They discuss strategies to address the false attributions about obesity and reduce this bias.

Weight Bias in Healthcare Settings

In this program, Dr. Rebecca Puhl, PhD, and Dr. Kelly Brownell, PhD, present and discuss the growing body of scientific evidence which demonstrates that weight bias among healthcare professionals has serious, negative impacts on the quality of healthcare services provided to overweight and obese patients in healthcare facilities. They also discuss what providers can do to reduce any bias which they may have in their practice.

These educational CME activities have been approved for AMA PRA credit. All CME activities on this site are available free of charge.

New CME Programs on Surgical Options for Treatment of Extreme Obesity

The Obesity Society recently made available two new professional continuing education programs discussing the surgical options available for the treatment of extremely obese patients. Both programs were developed from the proceedings of a meeting by a multidisciplinary panel of national experts that was convened as part of an educational initiative to address this topic. The EMBRACE (Exploring Multiple Bariatric Surgery Research Advancements for the Treatment of Extremely Obese Patients) Scientific Roundtable, was held in December 2006, in Atlanta, GA.

Program for online viewing: The Proceedings from the: EMBRACE (Exploring Multiple Bariatric Surgery Research Advancements for the Treatment of Extremely Obese Patients) Scientific Roundtable

Listen and learn a the panel presents and discusses the key issues in the treatment of extremely obese patients. Audio clips and key slides will bring participants up to date as this group of surgeons internists, bariatric specialists, psychologists, and other clinicians present and discuss current thinking regarding behavioral, pharmacologic, and surgical interventions. Clinically relevant 2007 updates from recently published literature are also included.

Printed program available for download: Identification and Treatment of Extreme Obesity – Considering Surgical Options: Frequently Asked Questions

This program explores the underlying behavioral and physiologic issues associated with severe obesity and the impact of various behavioral, pharmacologic, and surgical treatment modalities on patient outcomes.

These educational CME activities have been approved for AMA PRA credit. They are available free of charge.

View the Recorded Education Sessions and Retrieve CME Certificates from The Obesity Society's 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting

Over 2000 delegates attended The Obesity Society's 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting. Based on preliminary meeting and session evaluations, the meeting was a huge success. Recorded sessions from the meeting are now available for viewing on our online Live Learning Center.

To complete your meeting evaluation and retrieve your CME/CPE/CEU certificate, got to the 2007 Annual Meeting Evaluation Website. You'll need your meeting badge number in order to gain access to the system. If you've forgotten your badge number or have problems completing your evaluation, call The Obesity Society at 301-563-6526.

A copy of the Final Program is still available for download.

You can also view the session descriptions and learning objectives by going to the Online Itinerary Planner.

The Obesity Society Offices Have Moved

Because we're expanding our programs and our staff, The Obesity Society has outgrown its old offices. So we've moved! Our new suite of offices is located in the same building as before, but we simply moved down one floor. There are no changes to our e-mail addresses and phone numbers, and our family of Websites remains fully functional.

For at least the next six months, any mail sent to our old address will be forwarded to the new offices. But please change the information in your contact lists and Rolodexes to the following:

The Obesity Society
8630 Fenton Street, Suite 814
Silver Spring, MD 20910
Phone: 301-563-6526
FAX: 301-563-9595

Canadian Obesity Network - Obesity Canada

The Canadian Obesity Network (CON) mandate is to link obesity researchers with the private sector, practitioners and policy-makers to foster innovations and investments toward cost-effective solutions to prevent, control and treat obesity. CON members gain exclusive access to a new kind of network, designed to leverage information, people, funding and the collective experience of a wide range of partners and individuals, who have joined forces to become Canada's leading obesity research, prevention and management community.

Add your weight to the fight against obesity. Join CON today. Membership in CON is free, and is limited to obesity researchers, health professionals and other professional stakeholders with an interest in obesity research, prevention and management.

www.obesitynetwork.ca

Weight Bias Task Force Fact Sheet Available

The Weight Bias Task Force has published a new fact sheet: Obesity, Bias, and Stigmatization. The fact sheet examines the serious and pervasive social consequences of being overweight and obese and addresses five key questions:

What is weight stigma?
Where does weight stigma occur?
What are the consequences of weight stigma?
How are children affected by weight stigma?
How can weight stigma be reduced?

The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults

This guide was developed in cooperation with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). It is based on the Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Evidence Report developed by the NHLBI Expert Panel and released in June 1998.