UA College of Community Health Sciences Hosts Programs on Obesity

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences will host a special emphasis week focusing on obesity May 22-26, as part of its Grand Rounds series in the department of continuing medical education.

These regularly scheduled educational programs offer continuing medical education credit for health care professionals, including UA medical students, family practice residents, CCHS faculty and local and regional physicians. The special emphasis weeks are dedicated to specific topics of general interest to the medical community, providing the most current information available to improve the quality of health care to patients.

“The week on obesity was chosen because obesity is an epidemic disease that threatens to inundate health care resources by increasing the incidence of diabetes, hypertension and cancer, to name a few,” said Vicki Johnson, director of continuing medical education for the college. “The week will provide attendees an approach to patient assessment, evaluation and treatment, including dietary therapy, physical activity, behavior therapy, pharmacological treatments and surgical intervention, based on review of scientific research and evidence-based medicine.”

The programs will be at DCH Regional Medical Center in the Willard Auditorium at 12:15 p.m. All health care professionals are invited to attend.

The programs include:

• Monday, May 22: “Childhood Obesity,” Michael I. Goran, Ph.D., professor of preventative medicine, University of Southern California
• Tuesday, May 23: “The Clinical Implications of Physical Activity in the Prevention and Treatment of Obesity,” John M. Jakicic, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Physical Activity and Weight Management Research Center, Pittsburgh
• Wednesday, May 24: “Facts and Myths about Diets and Weight Loss,” Cathy Nonas, M.D., North General Hospital, New York
• Thursday, May 25: “Adventures in Obesity,” Walter Pories, M.D., professor of surgery, East Carolina University
• Friday, May 26: “Harnessing Physiology to Treat Obesity,” Lee Kaplan, Ph.D., director of Massachusetts General Hospital Weight Center