As part of the focus on pediatrics during ObesityWeek 2026, a new, interdisciplinary pre-conference course convenes Nov. 13–14 for all healthcare professionals who care for children with obesity.
Aaron Kelly, PhD
“This is a prelude to an ObesityWeek that is going to be chock-full of new pediatric data,” said Aaron Kelly, PhD, co-chair of the inaugural Pediatric Obesity: Comprehensive Care and Practical Strategies for Today’s Clinician Course. “If you’re interested in pediatric obesity, you cannot miss this course. There are going to be many high-profile intervention studies presented that should really contribute meaningfully to the evidence base around obesity care.”
The CME-eligible pre-conference course is a ticketed event and requires separate registration, which includes on-demand access to course recordings after ObesityWeek. The two half-day sessions, chaired by Joseph “Joey” A. Skelton, MD, MS, FAAP, FTOS, will feature complex case simulations, strategies for caring for special populations, tools for optimizing office management, and more with the goal of delivering more effective, efficient, and compassionate pediatric obesity care. Participants will learn how to integrate nutrition counseling, lifestyle and behavior therapy, and emerging pharmacologic treatments into a seamless, evidence‑based approach that improves outcomes and strengthens family engagement.
“We’ve geared the programming toward clinical care providers in the broad sense, so this is going to be inclusive and relevant to all healthcare professionals who care for children and adolescents with obesity,” Dr. Kelly said. “We are really seeing the field move in that direction. When we talk about proper obesity care, it needs to be multidisciplinary, not siloed.”
Pharmacotherapy and the common questions clinicians have about the safety and effectiveness of medicines will be a focus of the pre-conference with full evidence-based care integrated into the presentations.
We need to stop dilly-dallying. When obesity is identified in a child or adolescent, we need to offer care immediately.
—Aaron Kelly, PhD
The language used in clinical settings also will be addressed, supported by the TOS policy brief “Speaking the Language of Obesity.”
“Obesity is a highly stigmatized disease, and when you’re talking about kids, parents feel guilty, they feel blamed, they blame themselves for their family struggling with obesity,” Dr. Kelly said. “We’re going to cover topics about how to reassure families that this is not their fault.”
Speakers will address how to convey to families that obesity is largely driven by biology and how to discuss the tools and therapies available for children, laying the foundation for informed, shared decision-making.
“The foundation of care really has three pillars: dietary, physical activity, and behavioral counseling aimed at overall wellness,” Dr. Kelly said, adding that medicines and surgery play a role in some cases.
“Traditionally, this field has had a stepwise approach to clinical care. You would try just the dietary and lifestyle piece for a while and see if that worked. If it didn’t, you might consider medications. If that doesn’t work, you might consider metabolic or bariatric surgery,” he continued. “Now, the recommendations are different. It is to fully evaluate your patient and their severity of obesity, any complications, and family history, and out of the gate provide the appropriate therapies so that patients don’t feel like they’re wallowing and working really hard but not seeing any results.”
Principles of Childhood Obesity Treatment, presented by Sarah Hampl, MD, FAAP
Medical Assessment of Obesity, presented by Sarah Barlow, MD, MPH
Family and Behavioral Assessment and Intervention, presented by E. Thomaseo Burton, PhD, MPH
Nutritional Assessment and Treatment Approaches, presented by Mary Savoye, MS, RD
Pharmacotherapy, presented by Claudia Fox, MD, MPH
Patient Engagement, presented by Lisa Watson, NP
Saturday, Nov. 14
Genetic and Endocrinologic Conditions in Pediatric Obesity, presented by Joan Han, MD
Activity Assessment and Interventions, presented by Webb Smith, PhD
Treatment in Primary Care Settings, presented by Sarah Armstrong, MD
Office Management and Practice Operations, presented by Suzanne Cuda, MD
Screening and Managing Eating Disorders, presented by Janet Lydecker, PhD
Special Situations in Pediatric Obesity Treatment, presented by Brooke Sweeney, MD, FTOS
Experts will continue to explore the unique considerations of caring for children and adolescents throughout ObesityWeek, as the conference program’s events include presentations of new clinical trial results and a modernized approach to pediatric weight management that involves identification, assessment, and immediate offering of treatment options. Key pediatric-themed symposia and lectures during ObesityWeek include:
“We need to stop dilly-dallying. When obesity is identified in a child or adolescent, we need to offer care immediately. This notion that we should wait and see what happens has largely been debunked by the science,” Dr. Kelly said. “We’re not going to force people to be treated, but it’s incumbent upon clinicians to let their patients know that these treatments exist and help them navigate the pathways to access them if desired.”
View the full ObesityWeek conference program at obesityweek.org. Symposium, plenary, Key Lecture, and oral session recordings will be available as part of ObesityWeek OnDemand beginning late January 2027. Purchase ObesityWeek OnDemand through conference registration by Nov. 17.
The interprofessional pre-conference pediatric course Pediatric Obesity: Comprehensive Care and Practical Strategies for Today’s Clinician is supported, in part, by an educational grant from Novo Nordisk, Inc.
