National Obesity Care Week (NOCW), a national movement to ensure anyone affected by obesity receives respectful and comprehensive care, begins its second annual campaign October 30. Led by founding partners- The Obesity Society, Obesity Action Coalition, Strategies to Overcome and Prevent Obesity Alliance and the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery- NOCW coincides with ObesityWeek and runs through November 5.

New this year is the Take 5 Challenge, an effort geared toward healthcare providers and designed to inspire action and encourage productive conversations about obesity in ways that will support patients and change practice.

The Take 5 Challenge prompts healthcare professionals to:

• Take 5 minutes to learn how to talk about obesity with your patients
• Ask 5 questions to start a conversation
• Know 5 reasons to address obesity
• Engage in 5 conversations to inspire action
• Pass this challenge on to 5 of your colleagues

The NOCW organizing team created a short guide with all of the information necessary to complete the Take 5 Challenge. With lack of time and reimbursement among the top reasons why obesity may go unaddressed by healthcare providers, the guide also includes a comprehensive list of ICD-10 codes. Click here to download the Take 5 Challenge Guide.

“For too long, excess weight has been the source of stigma and bias, which has, at times, prevented patients from receiving the care that the disease of obesity often requires. National Obesity Care Week shines a spotlight on the opportunities that healthcare professionals have to help patients achieve their overall weight management goals,” said Francesca Dea, CAE, Executive Director of The Obesity Society and Executive Chair of NOCW. “The ‘Take 5’ Challenge can help healthcare professionals better understand how to address obesity and work toward more comprehensive treatment.”

QUICK LINKS
Learn more about the Take 5 Challenge
Download the Take 5 PDF
Learn more about National Obesity Care Week

Access a collection of Obesity Facts to share with colleagues and patients
Sign the Treat Obesity Seriously pledge