Obesity is a major public health problem and affects almost half the adults in the United States. It is a complex, chronic disease with many causes and several FDA-approved medications are currently available to be prescribed in conjunction with nutritional counseling, physical activity and behavioral therapy or surgical interventions. GLP1 RAs have become a Hollywood hot topic and a research hot spot for weight management and associated diseases. This topic is important because Obesity is now the most common chronic medical problem seen by primary care physicians. It puts individuals at increased health risk for other chronic diseases and increases all-cause mortality. Yet, it is often under recognized, under diagnosed and under treated. Since the 1930s, physicians stigmatized people with Obesity and believed that their excess weight is caused by lack of willpower to push back from the table, laziness preventing physical activity, or stating it is purely a lifestyle choice. The tides are turning in healthcare and it is now well studied and scientifically supported that Obesity is caused by more than behavior but is due to biology. It is more than a mindset. It is a true medical condition and it is not simply a condition caused by a lifestyle choice but rather is a lifelong disease requiring comprehensive, multidisciplinary treatment for a lifetime. This topic will cover this new paradigm shift and herald on the positive impact GLP1 RAs have had on the weight reduction and overall health of patients with Obesity. Attendees will learn strategies to safely prescribe GLP1 RAs and achieve optimal results.
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