NEW ORLEANS – More than 4,500 leading researchers, policymakers and healthcare professionals will gather for the 4th annual ObesityWeek conference at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (MCCNO) from Oct. 31-Nov. 4.
Attendees will get a glimpse into the future of obesity research and treatment as more than 1,200 research abstracts are presented on new and emerging obesity treatments, the science of weight loss, new prevention strategies, metabolic surgery, the digital health technology and public policy at the largest international conference on obesity.
The weeklong conference will feature the largest exhibit hall of its kind, showcasing the latest innovative products, services and technologies from obesity-focused companies and organizations worldwide. This year, top research presentations answer the following key questions confronting obesity research and treatment:
• Could we harness a gene in our muscle tissue to create a new obesity therapy?
• Can eating during a shorter time period every day help burn more fat?
• Are children more at risk for weight gain during the school year or summer breaks?
• How can we improve obesity support and diagnosis in the medical setting?
• What does our circadian rhythm have to do with weight loss following bariatric surgery?
ObesityWeek is the premier, international event focused on the basic science, clinical application, prevention and treatment of obesity. The Obesity Society (TOS) and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) host the world’s preeminent conference on obesity. For the fourth year, both organizations hold their respective annual scientific meetings under one roof to unveil exciting new research, discuss treatment and prevention options, network and present.
This is the first time ObesityWeek will be hosted in New Orleans. ObesityWeek is projected to generate an estimated $5.3 million in economic impact for the city.
A Focus for Louisiana Policymakers and Researchers
Taking action in support of ObesityWeek, earlier this month Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards officially passed a proclamation declaring Oct. 30-Nov. 5, “Obesity Care Week.” The State of Louisiana proclamation urges that “healthcare professionals, policymakers, patients and families regard obesity with the same level of seriousness with which other chronic diseases are regarded.”
Louisiana has the fourth highest obesity rate in the U.S., making this recognition especially poignant as National Obesity Care Week and ObesityWeek aim to raise awareness of the need for a comprehensive approach to care for those living with the disease of obesity, event organizers said. Governor Edwards is joined by many other leaders throughout the state of Louisiana who are making strides toward new research, policies and programs to help those affected. Many of them will be attending and even speaking at the conference, including obesity professionals from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Tulane University.
At TOS’s Opening Session at ObesityWeek, TOS President Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, FTOS will recognize LA U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, MD with a Presidential Medal. Senator Thomas Carper (Delaware) and Obesity Action Coalition President and CEO Joseph Nadglowski will also receive this honor. The award recognizes both U.S. Senators for their leadership and support for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act, legislation that will provide Medicare recipients and their healthcare providers with meaningful tools to treat and reduce obesity by improving access to obesity screening and counseling services, and to prescription drugs for chronic weight management. In total, TOS will honor more than 40 leading and emerging researchers with grants and awards at sessions throughout the meeting.
Major events include:
• Wednesday, Nov. 2: 8-9:30 a.m.; Opening Keynote Speaker Addresses Neural & Physiological Mechanisms Involved in Human Energy Balance; MCCNO, Great Hall
Professor Sadaf Farooqi, PhD; Genetics of obesity expert; Professor, University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories
• Wednesday, Nov. 2: 1:30-3:30 p.m.; ASMBS Integrated Health Keynote Speaker Addresses Obesity by Changing Environmental Drivers of Obesity: Public Policy Initiatives; MCCNO, Rms 208-210
Kelly Brownell, PhD; Leader in nutrition and public policy; Dean, Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, Rober L. Flowers Professor of Public Policy, Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience
• Friday, Nov. 4: 11 a.m.-Noon.; Keynote Discussion, Complex Issues Related to Surgery, Weight Loss and Weight Regain; an hour-long keynote discussion designed to engage the full spectrum of attendees: basic scientists, neuroscientists, clinicians, surgeons, population researchers and policy makers. The session will include a panel of leading scientists and clinicians from TOS and ASMBS who will discuss a challenging case study with involvement from the audience; MCCNO Great Hall
