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Take the challenge: Support National Obesity Care Week

The AOA joins other health care organizations in starting the dialogue between physicians and patients struggling with obesity.

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The AOA and other leading health care organizations seek to empower physicians with the resources they need to help their patients overcome the challenges of obesity. That’s why they are supporting National Obesity Care Week, taking place Oct. 30 through Nov. 5, 2016.

This campaign seeks to ignite a national movement to ensure anyone affected by obesity receives respectful and comprehensive care.

The week includes a “Take 5” challenge, which calls on physicians to:

  • Start a dialogue with their patients about obesity.
  • Ask questions to begin the conversation.
  • Understand why they need to address obesity with their patients.
  • Learn how to use ICD-10 codes to receive appropriate reimbursement for obesity treatment.
Obesity rates for adults 20 and older
From 1997 to 2015, the U.S. adult obesity rate rose from less than 20% to more than 30%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As a partner for National Obesity Care Week, the AOA encourages members to access a free handout about talking to your patients about obesity. Physicians can also learn seven steps to take to combat bias against patients with obesity, as outlined by Colony Fugate, DO, during a recent OMED presentation.

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