More than 93 million Americans currently have obesity, and obesity rates have doubled among adults in the last 20 years. It’s time to change the way we care about obesity. With obesity on the rise, our organization, alongside other organizations, must attack this disease from multiple angles and unite to overhaul the treatment of obesity. At the STOP Obesity Alliance, we recognize this challenge and the important role we can play.
The 4th Annual National Obesity Care Week (NOCW)—taking place October 7th to 13th—seeks to ignite a national movement to ensure that persons affected by obesity receive respectful and comprehensive care. STOP is a proud founder of the campaign, along with the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), and The Obesity Society (TOS).
As NOCW supporters, we strongly believe that:
- Individuals with obesity must no longer be the target of weight bias in all of life’s settings, such as healthcare, employment, entertainment, and education.
- Individuals with obesity should understand that this disease is not solely their responsibility and work with a healthcare provider to manage their obesity long-term.
- Like individuals with other chronic diseases, individuals with obesity must have access to and coverage of evidence-based treatments to improve their weight and health.
- Healthcare providers need to be trained to provide effective, compassionate evidence-based care and use of shared decision-making.
- Providers and policy makers must recognize the need for further investment in the education, prevention and treatment of the disease of obesity.
Although it is important to educate people about these reasons to care, we must also address barriers to care, such as weight bias in society and in the medical community. We need more voices to reach our goal of achieving better care. You can join us and pledge to take ACTION to Change the Way We Care about Obesity.
Mark your calendars, and join us in recognizing National Obesity Care Week, October 7th – 13th, 2018.
If you or your organization are interested in joining as a Champion of National Obesity Care Week 2018, please visit the event website for additional information and resources.