Let’s Come Together: Uniting Dietitians to Combat Weight Bias
Two out of three adults have overweight or obesity, so most nutrition professionals will work with individuals affected at some point. The development of obesity is complex, requiring a multifaceted approach to providing support, prevention, and treatment. This session will take a nuanced look at forms of explicit and implicit bias among health care providers, specifically nutrition professionals. Speakers will analyze rarely discussed forms of systemic weight bias, including social determinants and healthcare policy. The panel will also review how these forms of bias impact our clients and patients and what we can do about it.
In recognizing that no single approach to obesity and health will work for every individual, speakers will review the importance of patient-centeredness and shared decision-making for overcoming bias in obesity care.
Regardless of clinical approach, weight bias is a significant issue that impacts the people we care for in our practices. Because to truly make an impact on reducing weight bias, it’s going to take all of us; nutrition professionals are poised to lead the charge. So, let’s put away our debate materials, walk away from our respective corners, and come together to work towards changing this pervasive problem.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify instances of clinician and systemic weight bias in current practices and policy
- Describe the impact of weight bias on individual outcomes
- Apply strategies to reduce weight bias across the spectrum of care
Performance Indicators:
- 3.2.3 Pursues and embraces opportunities to
advance practice. - 8.2.3 Implements individualized services to reflect
customer-centered approach as it pertains to the
customer’s physical, social, cultural, institutional and
economic environment. - 1.3.1 Applies strategies that engage the customer in
a collaborative approach.
Theodore Kyle, RPh, MBA
ConscienHealth
Rebecca Pearl, PhD
Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Kellene Isom, PhD, MS, RD, LDN, CAGS
Assistant Professor
California State Polytechnic University Pomona
Colleen Tewksbury, PhD, MPH, RD, CSOWM, LDN
Senior Research Investigator
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania