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Contact Us
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Bariatric Physicians
2821 S. Parker Road
Ste. 625
Aurora, CO 80014
303.770.2526 | asbp.org
Staff
Laurie Traetow, CAE, CPA
Executive Director
laurie@asbp.org
Beth Amelon
Sponsorships & Exhibits Coordinator
beth@asbp.org
Carly Crosby
Meeting Planner & Executive Coordinator
carly@asbp.org
Marcie Gonzales
Receptionist
marcie@asbp.org
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Featured Products
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Obesity Medicine e-Weekly
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By Eric C. Westman, MD, MHS
I attended the Obesity Action Coalition's (OAC) third annual Your Weight Matters (YWM) National Convention in Orlando, Fla., in September, and I would like to share with you what I learned about OAC, how it can benefit ASBP, and how ASBP can help OAC.
OAC started in 2005 when a congressman asked the simple question: "Who represents patients affected by obesity on Capitol Hill?" The organization now has more than 50,000 members. It is led by Ted Kyle, RPh, and Joe Nadglowski, who regularly visits Washington, D.C. OAC's mission is to "elevate and empower individuals affected by obesity through education, advocacy and support."
About 500 people attended the YWM National Convention. It was an excellent educational program with expert speakers, many of whom have spoken for ASBP: James O. Hill, PhD; Arya Sharma, MD, PhD, FRCPC; and the like. A highlight of the program for me was a lecture by renowned addiction specialist, Mark S. Gold, MD, who examined the similarities between sugar addiction and commonly abused drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and alcohol. He showed a remarkable video of monkeys on St. Kitts Island who also struggle with alcohol and sugar addiction--they steal drinks from the beach! The meeting included several talks about stress management (including laughter yoga), which made me think that ASBP meetings could also address this aspect of obesity management.
During the meeting, I attended an excellent advocacy training session, where educators reviewed the structure of the U.S. government and conducted seven mock "senator visits" to practice responding to certain issues and personalities that you might encounter while advocating. I learned why we need to get behind the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), a bill that is gaining support but still needing sponsors. The TROA would increase Medicare beneficiaries' access to qualified practitioners and would allow Medicare Part D to cover obesity medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
I quickly became aware that many of the attendees had undergone bariatric surgery. Some people introduced themselves by their surgical histories ("I'm Jim. I had my bypass in 2005"). Most of the attendees sought others to network with who could understand what they had been through, but many were also looking for direction after their bariatric surgery--and that's a big opportunity for ASBP. This population could benefit from our knowledge if included in their educational materials and at their convention, as well as in their doctors' offices.
ASBP supports OAC by providing all ASBP members complimentary memberships in OAC. I would encourage you to become more active with OAC by visiting your representatives with Joe Nadglowski and learning how to advocate locally. You could purchase OAC memberships for your patients, as many of the bariatric surgeons do. Our expertise in the practical care of patients may lead to the opportunity to speak at OAC meetings or be involved in its leadership and committees. Let us know how you want to be involved!
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News
 Photos from Overcoming Obesity now availableSelect photos from Overcoming Obesity in Austin, Texas, are now available online. Click here to view photos of the poster session, educational sessions, Walk with the Doc, Patient-centered Physical Activity, and Obesity Treatment Foundation Reception. Please note: these photos are subject to copyright by ASBP and may not be reproduced or redistributed without permission. To request permission, please contact Rachel Nevers at rachel@asbp.org.
For your information: HHS delivers important health information regarding Ebola outbreak The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released new information for all physicians and health care providers regarding the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. HHS asks that health care professionals review the key messages about the Ebola virus and visit the CDC Ebola website for the most up-to-date information.
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Resources
 Don't have time to keep up to date on the latest findings in the field of obesity medicine? We can help! We'll do the research and publish a brief overview of three recent studies every week, so you can be in the know, even during your busiest days. Click the titles below to view the full articles.
Schubert, M. M., et al. Journal of Applied Physiology, 2014.
Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the world; a recent study reported that 85 percent of a sample population of about 38,000 people consumed one or more caffeinated beverages per day. Given the widespread consumption and the recommendations that exercise is important for health, weight loss and weight maintenance, researchers from Australia recently examined how the interaction between caffeine and exercise affected energy expenditure (EE), substrate metabolism, and energy intake (EI) in recreationally active men and women. The primary findings stated that consuming caffeine before and after a bout of moderate exercise increased EE and fat oxidation while improving exercise enjoyment. There was also a slight but non-significant decrease in EI with caffeine. Although the effects were small, caffeine supplementation during an exercise program may help to improve participation and manipulate EE and substrate metabolism, which could benefit weight loss and energy balance.
Bailey, L. C., et al. JAMA Pediatrics, 2014.
The health records of about 65,000 children who visited a clinic affiliated with the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between 2001 and 2013 were reviewed. The children's height and weight were tracked from birth to age 5 along with their antibiotic use. The study found that 69 percent of the children were given antibiotics before age 2. On average, the children had 2.3 episodes of antibiotic use. Children who had four or more exposures to antibiotics were 11 percent more likely to be obese than those who did not. Children who received broad-spectrum antibiotics had a 16 percent higher risk of obesity than those who did not, whereas narrow-spectrum antibiotics, which are used as first-line treatments for common childhood infections, were not associated with increased obesity. This study suggests that parents and physicians should consider whether children really need antibiotics, and if so, consider use of narrow-spectrum antibiotics to minimize risk of obesity.
Modification of genetic influences on adiposity between 36 and 63 years of age by physical activity and smoking in the 1946 British Birth Cohort Study
Johnson, W., et al. Nutrition & Diabetes, 2014.
Genome-wide association studies have identified common genetic variants that are highly associated with obesity. However, a strong genetic susceptibility to obesity may not be unmasked unless individuals are exposed to obesogenic environments. A study was conducted to examine modification of genetic influences on changes in obesity during mid-adulthood by physical activity and smoking. Participants (n=2444) were genotyped for 11 obesity variants and had their genetic risk score (GRS) computed. Their body mass index (BMI), waist-circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR), physical activity and smoking measures were assessed at ages 36, 43, 53 and 60-64. The study found that physical activity at age 36 attenuated the GRS associations with BMI and WHtR at that age. Further, physical activity at age 53 attenuated the GRS association with rate of change in BMI between ages 53 and 63. Conversely, smoking at age 43 showed a trend towards augmenting the GRS association with rate of change in WHtR between 43 and 63. Estimated GRS effect sizes were lowest at all ages in the healthiest group (e.g., active non-smokers). This study indicates that healthy lifestyle behaviors attenuate the genetic influence on changes across age in BMI and central adiposity during mid-adulthood.
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Education
 Early registration for Diagnosis to Treatment in Denver is now open
Join us in Denver for Diagnosis to Treatment: Recognizing Obesity as a Disease, which includes the all-new Special Interest Sessions as well as the popular feature of each spring conference, the Obesity: Diagnosis to Treatment Course, with completely new content for 2015. Save the date and plan to join nearly 600 clinical obesity medicine physicians and other health care providers furthering their knowledge about the latest discussions taking place in the exciting field of obesity medicine.
When: April 8-12, 2015
Where: Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center
- Full Conference
30 CME | April 8-12 | Register online for the full conference
Includes both the Special Interest Sessions and the Obesity: Diagnosis to Treatment Course. - Special Interest Sessions
12.5 CME | April 8-9 | Register online for this course
Build your own schedule and attend the lectures that most interest you from both the Nutrition & Metabolism Society Summit and Obesity Medicine Essentials Course. - Obesity: Diagnosis to Treatment Course
17.5 CME | April 10-12 | Register online for this course
Enhance your knowledge about trending topics in the field of obesity medicine.
Want more? Save the date for Overcoming Obesity: Diagnose. Personalize. Treat. in Washington, D.C., from Sept. 30-Oct. 4, 2015.
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