More physicians are seeking out specialty training as treatment options for obesity expand.
Here are six things to know about the current state of obesity training:
1. The approval of GLP-1 drugs has opened effective treatment for a disease that affects 40% of adults. Previously, treatment was primarily linked to lifestyle changes, such as moving more, eating less and using willpower, Medscape reported Oct. 1.
2. Traditional medical training devotes little to no time to obesity and metabolism. This education gap has led many to seek out specialty training from associations.
3. In 2023, nearly 1,900 physicians applied to be certified in obesity medicine through the American Board of Obesity Medicine's certification program, an 88.7% increase over candidates in 2020. The certification was first launched in 2012 and about 6,700 physicians across the country have completed the exam.
4. Beyond the education gap, the lack of studies that could establish standards and guidelines for managing obesity leave only a minimal number of treatment options available. However, in the last five years, more studies have broadened our knowledge of obesity's pathophysiology, especially the brain's driving role, its interplay with hormones and its interactions with other diseases.
5. Endocrinologists, surgeons, fertility specialists, gynecologists and oncologists are just a few of the specialty physicians who have recognized the need to understand obesity and its role in their own fields. For the October 2023 AOBM exam, 38% of exam candidates were internal medicine physicians and 30% family medicine, AOBM reported. To sit for the exam, physicians must have completed a minimum of 60 continuing medical education credit hours or complete a 12-month fellowship.
6. Having obesity medicine credentials can be especially attractive to institutions looking to expand or build weight management programs, experts told Medscape.