Addressing Misconceptions in Obesity: Evidence-Based Treatment Approaches
Released On
July 14, 2025
Expires On
July 14, 2026
Media Type
Internet
Completion Time
90 Minutes
Specialty
Cardiology, Endocrinology, Nurse, Pharmacy, Physiatry, Primary Care
Topic(s)
Obesity
Support was provided by an independent grant from Novo Nordisk.
Credit Available
- 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ (Physician)
- 1.5 CNE Contact Hours (Nurses)
- 1.5 CA-BRN
- 1.5 CE for Pharmacists
- 1.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits (Physician Associate)
All other healthcare professionals completing this course will be issued a statement of participation
Target Audience
This activity was developed for primary care physicians, internal medicine physicians, cardiologists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, nurse practitioners, physician associates, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals involved in the treatment and management of patients with obesity.
Program Overview
The management of persons with obesity is challenging, made even greater due to the numerous myths and misconceptions among patients and clinicians. For example, “Obesity is a choice, not a disease.” “Weight loss of at least 10% is needed for any health benefit.” “Drugs should not be used because weight will only be regained once they are discontinued.” Science and clinical experience, however, tell us otherwise. In this 90-minute activity, obesity experts Drs. Apovian and Kushner review the evidence to refute more than a dozen myths and misconceptions and share their experiences to address them in clinical practice, thereby helping clinicians improve their ability to collaborate effectively with patients to improve health outcomes.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this activity, participants should be better able to:
- Recognize obesity as a serious, chronic, multifactorial disease influenced by genetic, metabolic, behavioral, and environmental factors.
- Become familiar with the nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic options available to treat patients with obesity, focusing on the safety, efficacy, and role of medications approved for long-term use.
- Individualize pharmacologic treatment supported by the interprofessional, multidisciplinary care team to achieve and maintain identified short- and long-term weight and health goals.
Faculty
Caroline M. Apovian, MD
Co-Director, Center for Weight Management and Wellness
Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Professor of Medicine
Harvard Medical School
Boston, Massachusetts
Robert Kushner, MD, MS, FACP, FTOS, DABOM
Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology) and Medical Education
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Former Director, Center for Lifestyle Medicine
Northwestern Medicine
Chicago, Illinois
Accreditation Statement
In support of improving patient care, Annenberg Center for Health Sciences at Eisenhower (Annenberg Center) is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
Credit Designation
Physician Credit
The Annenberg Center designates this enduring material for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Physician Associate Credit
The Annenberg Center has been authorized by the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) to award AAPA Category 1 CME credit for activities planned in accordance with AAPA CME Criteria. This activity is designated for 1.5 AAPA Category 1 CME credits. Approval is valid until June 30, 2026. PAs should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation.
Pharmacist Credit
The Annenberg Center designates this knowledge-based activity for a maximum of 1.5 hours. Credit will be provided to NABP CPE Monitor within 45 days after the activity completion.
Nurse Credit
The Annenberg Center designates this education for a maximum of 1.5 American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) contact hours, including 1.5 pharmacology hours.
Provider is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #13664, for 1.5 contact hours. To receive credit for education contact hours outside of the state of California, please check with your state board of registered nursing for reciprocity.
Disclosures of Conflicts of Interest
It is the policy of the Annenberg Center to ensure fair balance, independence, objectivity, and scientific rigor in all programming. All individuals with the potential to impact the content of an accredited education activity are expected to identify and reference off-label product use and disclose relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies.
The Annenberg Center assesses relevant financial relationships with its instructors, planners, managers, and other individuals who are in a position to control the content of CE activities. All relevant financial relationships that are identified are mitigated by the Annenberg Center for fair balance, scientific objectivity of studies utilized in this activity, and patient care recommendations. The Annenberg Center is committed to providing its learners with high-quality CE activities and related materials that promote improvements or quality in healthcare and not a specific proprietary business interest of a commercial interest.
Caroline M. Apovian, MD
Advisory Board: AbbVie Inc, Altimmune, Inc, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc, BioAge, Biolinq Incorporated, Caribou Biosciences, Inc, CinFina Pharma, Inc, Covidien LP, Cowen and Company, LLC, Currax Pharmaceuticals, LLC, EPG Communication Holdings Ltd, Form Health, Inc, Fractyl Health, Inc, Keros Therapeutics, Inc, Lilly USA, LLC, L-Nutra, Inc, Mediflix Inc, NeuroBo Pharmaceuticals, Inc, Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc, NodThera Limited, Novo Nordisk, Nutrisystem, OptumRx, Inc, Pain Script Corporation, Palatin Technologies, Inc, Pursuit By You, Redesign Health Inc, ReShape Lifesciences Inc, Riverview School, Roman Health Ventures Inc, Scholar Rock, Inc, Terns, Inc, Verily Life Sciences LLC, Veru Inc, Vida Health, Inc, Wave Life Sciences, Wondr Health, Xeno Biosciences, ZyVersa Therapeutics, Inc.
Research Support: GI Dynamics, Inc, PCORI
Robert Kushner, MD, MS, FACP, FTOS, DABOM
Advisory Board: Antag, Currax, Novo Nordisk, Structure, Weight Watchers
Consultant: Altimmune, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Regeneron
The faculty for this activity has disclosed that there will be discussion about the use of products for non-FDA approved indications.
Additional content planners
The following have no relevant financial relationships to disclose:
Eugene Cullen, MD (Peer Reviewer)
Rinita Acevedo, PharmD (Medical Writer)
Amber Lea Lambert, MSN, FNP-C, DNP (Nurse Reviewer)
Annenberg Center for Health Sciences
All staff at the Annenberg Center have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.
All the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.
Instructions for Participation and Credit
This activity is an online enduring material. Successful completion is achieved by reading and/or viewing the materials, reflecting on its implications in your practice, and completing the assessment component.
Course Viewing Requirements
Supported Browsers:
Internet Explorer 8.0+ for Windows 2003, Vista, XP, Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and above
Google Chrome 28.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux
Mozilla Firefox 23.0+ for Windows, Mac OS, or Linux
Safari 6.0+ for Mac OSX 10.7 and above
Supported Phones & Tablets:
Android 4.0.3 and above
iPhone/iPad with iOS 6.1 or above
Disclosure of Unlabeled Use
The faculty for this activity has disclosed that there will be discussion about the use of products for non-FDA approved indications.
Disclaimer
Annenberg Center respects your privacy. We don’t share information you give us, or have the need to share this information in the normal course of providing the services and information you may request. If there should be a need or request to share this information, we will do so only with your explicit permission. See Privacy Statement and other information at https://annenberg.net/pages/privacyPolicy.php
Contact Information
For CME questions please contact: [email protected].