National Obesity Care Week - Changing the Way We Care

The National Obesity Care Week (NOCW) Mission:

Ignite a national movement with a united 
focus to ensure anyone affected by the
disease of obesity receives respectful
and comprehensive care.

More than 35 leading U.S. healthcare organizations have joined together to form National Obesity Care Week (NOCW) an annual public awareness campaign to facilitate a national conversation and shine a spotlight on issues related to obesity treatment. November 1-7, 2015.

The campaign will help educate the public and healthcare professionals on the disease of obesity, the need for a comprehensive approach to care and how to have more productive conversations with their patients. Can I get an AMEN! for more PLANS, FOLLOW-UP and SUPPORT and less blaming and shaming or what I used to hear a lot, "you know you really need to lose some weight" without support or assistance beyond that...

• Intensive Behavioral Treatment
• Behavior modification: exercise, diet/meal replacement, support groups
• Weight management products and programs
• Healthcare provider-supervised weight management
• Medications for weight loss and chronic weight management
• Bariatric surgery

There are so many options to address obesity and one treatment does not fit all. As a person affected by obesity I need my medical team to help me navigate my options (there are a lot of scams and BS out there) and continue to help me reach and maintain my health goals (chronic disease = chronic treatment.)

The campaign also addresses societal barriers, such as weight bias (which sadly occurs even in the healthcare setting.) Walking into a Dr's office I MUST FEEL like I am in a SAFE place. It starts with the simple things like having appropriate furniture, gowns, medical equipment. Medical professionals that are engaging, compassionate and committed to working with patients to develop comprehensive weight-loss plans and who don't assume they know my story based on my size.

How you can help...

• Please follow Obesity Care Week on Facebook and Twitter (#ObesityCareWeek)
• Please take a few moments to check out the resources for patients and healthcare professionals
• Please share/pin/re-tweet all the great infographics and links: now, during Obesity Care Week November 1-7 and beyond!
• Sign the pledge

I'm proud and excited to be serving as NOCW's patient spokesperson, sharing my experiences and hopefully helping to create some positive changes in the treatment of obesity. Follow my tweets too.