We are the clinical leaders in obesity medicine who work to advance the prevention, treatment, and reversal of the disease of obesity.
Who We Are
The Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) is the largest organization of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care providers working every day to improve the lives of patients affected by obesity. OMA members are the clinical experts in obesity medicine. They use a comprehensive, scientific, and individualized approach when treating obesity, which helps patients achieve their health and weight goals.
What We Do
OMA offers resources, education, and community to physicians and other health care providers in the field of obesity medicine.
Membership
OMA has memberships available for physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other health care providers, as well as medical students, residents, fellows, and other clinicians-in-training. We equip our members with the best resources to help them deliver evidence-based obesity treatments, provide optimal patient care, and build a rewarding career in obesity medicine. We foster collaborative relationships and promote the sharing of information to enrich the learning experience. Learn more about membership, or view the bylaws that govern our association.
Education
OMA offers unique, accredited educational opportunities on topics related to the clinical treatment of obesity and the practice of obesity medicine. Our education spans all levels, for those looking for ways to treat obesity more effectively in primary care to those practicing obesity medicine full time. Our clinical expertise extends across the continuum of care, from diagnosis to maintenance, and includes our four treatment pillars: nutrition, physical activity, behavior, and medication. Learn more about upcoming events.
Advocacy
OMA supports national and state-level advocacy efforts to increase access to and coverage of obesity treatment services to patients affected by obesity. We belong to the Obesity Care Continuum and the Obesity Care Advocacy Network. We also hold a seat in the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates and host an Obesity Caucus biannually at AMA meetings.
Our Four Pillars
Our four pillars of clinical obesity treatment are nutrition, physical activity, behavior, and medication. These pillars are represented in the four colors in our logo. When combined and personalized, treatment plans involving the four pillars help patients lose weight and achieve better overall health.
Consensus Statement on Obesity as a Disease Among Obesity Societies
Background
In 2022, the leading United States organizations whose primary focus is on obesity came together with the intention of addressing the various roadblocks they each faced in addressing efforts to improve access to obesity treatment and the reduction of stigma and bias surrounding this disease. The organizations were: the Obesity Society (TOS), the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC), the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA), the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), the Stop Obesity Alliance (STOP), and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AAND). As part of our discussion, we agreed that it would be beneficial to come to a consensus on the definition of obesity. Our discussions led us to develop the consensus statement below to provide a shared starting point for how we talk about obesity which is consistent with how we discuss other chronic diseases. As the core organizations that address obesity, we worked together to write this statement and have agreed to use it as the central tenet in our communications around obesity.
Consensus Statement on Obesity as a Disease
Obesity is a highly prevalent chronic disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation or distribution that presents a risk to health and requires lifelong care. Virtually every system in the body is affected by obesity. Major chronic diseases associated with obesity include diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The body mass index (weight in kg/height in meters2) is used to screen for obesity, but it does not displace clinical judgement. BMI is not a measure of body fat. Social determinants, race, ethnicity, and age may modify the risk associated with a given BMI.
Bias and stigmatization directed at people with obesity contributes to poor health and impairs treatment.
Every person with obesity should have access to evidence-based treatment.
Contact Us
7173 S. Havana St #600-130
Centennial, CO 80112
Phone: 303.770.2526
Fax: 303.779.4834
Email: info@obesitymedicine.org