|
This e-newsletter is sponsored by
|
|
Contact Us | |
American Society of
Bariatric Physicians
2821 S. Parker Road, Ste. 625
Aurora, CO 80014
office 303.770.2526 | asbp.org
Staff
Laurie Traetow, CAE
Executive Director
laurie@asbp.org
Colin Bennett
Director of Events &
Corporate Sponsorships
colin@asbp.org
Carly Crosby
Administrative Intern
carly@asbp.org
Heidi Gordon
Director of Marketing &
Communications
heidi@asbp.org
|
|
|
|
Obesity Medicine e-Weekly |
|
News
Dr. Ethan Lazarus appointed ASBP representative to AMA House of Delegates
 | | Dr. Ethan Lazarus |
The Society is pleased to announce the appointment of Ethan Lazarus, M.D., (Denver) as the new ASBP representative to the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates. Board-certified in family medicine and a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Lazarus is passionate about improving awareness of the specialty of obesity medicine in the greater medical community and feels that improving relationships with other medical organizations is important to the growth and development of the specialty. Strengthening the Society's voice in the AMA House of Delegates will help improve physicians' awareness of the challenges physicians and patients face in the treatment of obesity and the important role the Society serves in educating physicians about obesity medicine. Considering the changes that have occurred recently, including the approval of new obesity treatment medications and the implementation of the new health care system, the ASBP Board of Trustees believes it is vital to appoint an ASBP member such as Dr. Lazarus who has a strong relationship with AMA and a passion about strengthening the Society's voice within the House of Delegates. Click here to learn more about the roles and responsibilities of an AMA delegate.
Meet Dr. Lazarus at the ASBP Obesity Conference in San Diego!
On Friday, April 26, from 8:45-9:30 a.m., Dr. Lazarus and AMA President Jeremy A. Lazarus, M.D., will discuss unmet needs of the bariatric practice and ways AMA can be of help. This discussion will address specific needs of the obesity medicine physician and ways AMA is advocating for improvement. Click here to learn more about the Obesity Conference. |
Obesity Updates: Click titles to view articles
Reilly, S. M., and Chiang, S. Nature-Medicine, February 2013
A relatively obscure drug used to treat mouth sores and asthma was recently found to induce weight loss in obese mice. Researchers gave mice a high-fat diet, and they became obese. They then injected the animals with a drug called amlexanox, which has been on the market for more than 15 years to treat canker sores. The mice lost weight, despite eating the same amount of calories and moving around the same amount as the mice that received placebo. The reason for the weight loss was thought to be from increased energy expenditure from thermogenesis. Clinical trials are expected to start later this year to determine if a similar effect is observed in humans.
Sourby, A. et al. BMC Medicine, February 2013
During pregnancy a mother has to be careful about what she eats and drinks, but in general not much is published about the effects of the father on the health of the baby. Given the data from epidemiological and animal studies that suggest nutrition during pregnancy may affect the health status of subsequent generations, researchers from Duke University conducted a study to determine associations between preconceptional obesity and epigenetic markings in offspring, particularly on the Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene, which is important during fetal growth and development. The researchers found that the DNA of children with obese fathers was likely to have less methylation on a certain region of the IGF2 gene than children whose fathers were not obese. Hypomethylation in this region has been linked to some cancers, including colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer and Wilms' tumor-a childhood cancer of the kidneys. This tentative result affirms the idea that paternal environment could play an important role in the health of their offspring.
Bleach, S. et al. Preventive Medicine, February 2013
How physicians view the causes of obesity may impact the advice they give their patients. The findings are from a new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who compared the relationship between primary care physicians' beliefs about the causes of obesity with the frequency of nutritional counseling. They found that physicians who believed over consumption of food to be a major contributor to obesity were significantly more likely to counsel their patients to modify nutritional habits. Eighty-six percent of primary care physicians indicated that overconsumption of food is a very important cause of obesity, followed by 62 percent of physicians reporting that restaurant or fast-food eating is a very important cause and 60 percent attributing consuming sugar-sweetened beverages as a very important cause. Few physicians reported genetics, family history or metabolic defect as an important cause of obesity. |
|
Education
 Did you pass the ABOM Certification Exam for Obesity Medicine Physicians in November 2012?
Make sure you attend the Diplomate recognition ceremony in San Diego on Saturday, April 27 (see p. 12)
Save the date for the ASBP 2013 Spring Obesity Conference in San Diego on April 24-28 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. Further details are now available by downloading a PDF of the preliminary program. In addition, online registration is available, or you may download and complete a PDF registration form for return via fax or USPS mail. Hotel reservations can be made online and start at $199+taxes (single/double).
 Register by Feb. 27 to save $26 on Obesity Basic Medical Treatment Course in Buffalo, N.Y.
The Obesity Medicine Association, a division of the Society, recently announced a partial list of 2013 dates and locations for the popular Obesity Basic Medical Treatment Course. Attendees earn 7 hours of continuing medical education, plus ASBP offers a $30 discount on the second and subsequent registrations received from the same office. The registration fee is $199, if received by the Wednesday prior to the course date. The course provides basic clinical information and tools to effectively treat obese patients and their related conditions. Learn more by downloading a PDF brochure. Click here to download a registration form and read details about the course. Online registration is available for these dates and locations:
- Feb. 23: Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
- March 2: Buffalo, N.Y.
- March 9: Oklahoma City
- March 16: Richmond, Va.
- March 23: Louisville, Ky.
|
|
|
|
|
