Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Obesity Management: Integrating Obesity Medications and Nutrition Counseling

Description

Learning Objectives

• Communicate and advocate for the use of anti-obesity medications with appropriate clients with their healthcare provider partners including prescribers.
• Describe the elements of nutrition assessment for clients who may initiate anti-obesity medications and/or use them on a long-term basis for weight management.
• Optimize the efficacy of anti-obesity medications in clients with counseling to manage side-effects, protect lean body mass, and practice lifestyle habits for long-term health.

Performance Indicators

• 3.3.4 Advocates for financial support for clients to sustain nutritionally adequate treatment plans.
• 10.4.4 Considers client/patient factors, nutritional impacts, indications, side effects, contraindications, benefits, risks, alternatives and foundational sciences when prescribing, recommending or administering nutrition-related drug therapy
• 2.3.5 Collaborates with others when knowledge, skill or experience are beyond their competence level.

Speakers

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  Beth Czerwony

  Outpatient dietitian, Center for Human Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic Foundation

  Beth Czerwony MS, RD, CSOWM, LD is a Clinical Registered Dietitian with the Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition since 2007 and has focused her clinical interests in surgical and non surgical weight management options via the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute over the last 12 years. She earned her associate degree in applied business while concurrently earning her Bachelor of Science in Dietetics from the University of Akron in 1999. She earned her Master of Science in Nutrition degree from Case Western Reserve University while during her dietetic internship at Louis Stokes Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland, OH in 2001. In 2019, she earned her initial Certification in Obesity and Weight Management and has served as a preceptor for dietetic interns. She is member of the Weight Management DPG for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, and The Obesity Society. Outside of the clinical setting, she has completed multiple local and national presentations and media interviews and contributing to the USDA 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines and book Chapter 17 of The Bariatric Handbook on “Long-term Weight Maintenance and Dietary and Behavioral Management of Weight Recurrence”. Having a curious spirt, Beth enjoys traveling via train and enjoying local national parks.

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  Colleen Dawkins

  Nurse Practitioner/Owner, Big Sky Medical Wellness

  Colleen Dawkins, FNP-C, RDN, CSOWM, is a board-certified family nurse practitioner, registered dietitian nutritionist, and certified specialist in obesity and weight management. She has a telemedicine private practice for patients in Washington and Montana at Big Sky Medical Wellness. Currently, Colleen serves as the secretary for the Washington Obesity Society, a vice chair for the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s Obesity Certificate training program, the Obesity Medicine Association’s algorithm committee, an Associate Editor for Obesity Pillars journal, a member of an international research collaboration, and an item writer for the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Board Certification examination. Dawkins is currently pursuing a PhD in Nursing Leadership.

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  Katelyn O'Brien

  Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, Boston Medical Center

  Katelyn O’Brien, PharmD, BCPS, CDCES, BC-ADM, works at Boston Medical Center, an academic medical center that serves a lower socioeconomic population. She works within adult primary care/general internal medicine where she focuses on the delivery of diabetes care and education and works on population health initiatives. O’Brien receives referrals for her pharmacy-focused services from attending physicians, nurse practitioners, and medical residents. In Massachusetts, PharmDs practice under a collaborative drug therapy management (CDTM) agreement. Within this agreement O’Brien manages chronic conditions including diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. She can prescribe and titrate medications, order and assess labs, and refer to other diabetes-related specialties. She collaborates with endocrinologists, RDNs, LICSWs, and other healthcare providers to provide exceptional care. O’Brien is also involved with the training of pharmacy residents and pharmacy students. She earned her PharmD in 2014 from the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy and completed her PGY1 Pharmacy Residency at VA Boston Health Care System in 2015.

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Moderator

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  Linda Gigliotti

  Consultant, Self-employed

  Linda Gigliotti, MS, RDN, CDCES, FAND has extensive experience in the clinical practice of adult weight management and multidisciplinary obesity treatment teams, serving for 20 years as the Program Director of the Weight Management Program at the University of CA, Irvine. Her professional experiences include nutritional support and metabolic management as well as academic appointments. Colleagues have recognized her leadership in program development, particularly in the areas of medically supervised weight management and worksite wellness weight management settings. She has experience in outpatient and community education, specifically in weight management and lifestyle modification, working with clients to make choices to manage their health. She has held numerous roles with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Commission on Dietetic Registration and was engaged in the development of the interprofessional Certified Specialist in Obesity and Weight Management (CSOWM) credential. She currently serves on the Academy Foundation Board and is co-editor of the Health Professional’s Guide to Treatment of Overweight and Obesity. In 2021 she was awarded the Medallion Award by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. She received the Excellence in Weight Management Practice Award by the Weight Management Dietetics Practice Group in 2017 and the CA Outstanding Dietitian of the Year Award in 2018.

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