In this special series on obesity, our host, Dr. Neil Skolnik, discusses the obesity epidemic with some of the foremost experts in the world. In Part 4 of the series, Dr. Skolnik is joined by Drs. Deborah Horn and Robert Kushner. Together they discuss challenges, and potential solutions, in obesity management.

The Focus on Obesity series is a collaborative project of the American Diabetes Association and the American Academy of Family Physicians. The entire program will comprise a total of seven episodes: four episodes of Diabetes Core Update, which will cover topics of interest for family physicians, primary care clinicians, and other health care professionals; as well as three episodes of its sister podcast, Diabetes Day by Day, which will be tailored for people with overweight or obesity and their caregivers. The combined seven-episode program will be released between February and June 2024 and can be freely accessed at https://diabetesjournals.org/journals/pages/podcasts_obesity.

Funding support for the “Focus on Obesity” series is jointly provided by Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

Presented by:

Neil Skolnik, MD, Professor of Family and Community Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University; Associate Director, Family Medicine Residency Program, Abington Jefferson Health

Deborah B. Horn, DO, MPH, Medical Director for the UT Center of Obesity Medicine and Metabolic Performance; Fellowship Program Director, Allison Family Foundation Fellowship in Clinical Obesity Medicine and Metabolism, McGovern Medical School

Robert Kushner, MD, Professor of Medicine (Endocrinology) and Medical Education Feinburg School of Medicine at Northwestern University and Medical Director of the Wellness Institute at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago

Selected references: 

STEP – 4 Trial - Rubino D, Abrahamsson N, Davies M, et al. Effect of Continued Weekly Subcutaneous Semaglutide vs Placebo on Weight Loss Maintenance in Adults With Overweight or Obesity: The STEP 4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021; 325(14), 1414-1425. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2021.3224

SURMOUNT-4 Trial - Aronne LJ, Sattar N, Horn DB, et al. Continued Treatment With Tirzepatide for Maintenance of Weight Reduction in Adults With Obesity: The SURMOUNT-4 Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2024;331(1):38–48. doi:10.1001/jama.2023.24945