Inaugural Course
Understanding the Biology and Physiology of Obesity and its Treatment:
A Primer for Health Care Professionals
| Date: |
Location: |
| Registration Fee: TBA |
Course Description
Obesity prevalence is increasing dramatically and related comorbid conditions pose a grave public health threat. To effectively prevent and treat obesity, the health care professional must possess a basic understanding of the biology and physiology of body weight regulation. This is of particular importance when counseling patients regarding weight control, as a multitude of myths, claims, and diet products are promulgated. In this half-day symposium, the fundamental concepts of body weight regulation will be presented with a focus on how these concepts apply to the health care professional.
- Basic Concepts and Definitions:
- A framework for understanding human energy balance
- Food Intake & Dietary, Biological, Physiological, and Environmental Factors that Promote Energy Intake
- Why do we eat, what controls diet choices, and what regulates how much we eat?
How the physiology of food intake adapts to changes in weight? - Energy Expenditure
- How the body expends energy at rest and with physical activity?
How energy expenditure adapts to changes in weight?
Learning Objectives
The attendee will be able to:
- Describe the basic mechanisms that contribute to food intake and energy expenditure
- Understand the physiologic processes that contribute to weight gain and make weight control difficult
- Counsel patients regarding reasonable expectations for weight control based on physiologic principles
Instructor
Edward Saltzman, MD is an internal medicine physician with subspecialty training in clinical nutrition. He is Chief, Division of Clinical Nutrition at Tufts Medical center, and until recently served as Medical Director of that hospital's Obesity Consultation Center, the region's premier multi-disciplinary treatment center. Dr. Saltzman is Associate Professor of Nutrition and Medicine at Tufts University and is a Scientist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. His research focuses on the role of dietary factors in body weight control. Dr. Saltzman is active in medical education at Tufts University, where he teaches several courses in nutrition for medical students and medical trainees, and is active in providing continuing professional education in nutrition for physicians, nutritionists and other health professionals.