Certificate of Training in Obesity for Pediatrics and Adults: Live Event Sessions and Objectives

This session will describe the chronic nature of obesity and provide evidence-based strategies for RDNs to effectively provide weight management services. Obesity treatment guidelines for nutrition, weight loss medications, and bariatric surgery will be covered. The key role of the RDN in weight management and promoting health-related quality of life during all stages of obesity treatment will also be discussed.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the chronic nature of obesity and implications for treatment.
• Discuss the evidence-based weight management guidelines for nutrition, weight loss medications, and bariatric surgery.
• Discuss the RDN's role in supporting persons with obesity to achieve their overall health goals and promoting health-related quality of life during all stages of obesity management.

The core issues of counseling will be discussed. Practical considerations for how these tools are implemented and the "spirit" behind these techniques will be provided. Participants will be given opportunities to identify areas of strengths and areas in which they would like to improve. The ability to practice techniques will be provided.

Learning Objectives

• Recognizes and applies education and learning theories and principles in practice.
• Establishes, develops and implements program outlines and learning plans to meet the needs of various individuals, groups and populations.
• Uses effective counseling and coaching skills and strategies in practice.

The concept of trauma is introduced as a key health modifier. Trauma's impact on physical and emotional systems will be discussed and the potential impact trauma can have on both nutrition and lifestyle modification will be highlighted. Practical considerations for how registered dietitian nutritionists can embrace this concept in delivering trauma-informed care will be introduced as well.

Learning Objectives

• Recognizes the role trauma can play in a patient's overall health.
• Understands the systems that can be impacted by trauma.
• Be capable of differentiating between traditional medical nutrition therapy and trauma informed nutrition care.

The concept of telehealth will be introduced and discussed. The legal implications that must be considered by RDN's will be presented. Several resources and tips will be shared with attendees so that they can better utilize telehealth in their own practice areas. The Pros and Cons of telehealth as it compares to face-to-face counseling will also be addressed.

Learning Objectives

• Recognizes the role telehealth plays in the field of nutrition counseling.
• Understands the legal considerations RDN's must be aware of in practicing in this new way.
• Be capable of identifying several ways of making telehealth engaging for patients and clients in individual and group settings.

These sessions encourage participants to think critically about challenges posed by limited health literacy, weight bias, fad diets and health at every size. Attendees will learn about strategies for working with people with limited health literacy and will practice using plain writing guidelines. They will share instances of weight bias that they have witnessed in their practice and discuss opportunities to advocate for people with obesity.

Lastly, they will critically review popular diets and how they might fit in evidence-based practice settings in both adults and pediatrics. Through individual reflection, group discussion, and didactic portions, participants will enhance their ability to navigate these common challenges.

Learning Objectives

• Apply appropriate communication strategies in the presence of limited health literacy.
• Implement protocols to prevent weight bias from affecting patient care.
• Evaluate popular diets for use in a patient’s weight management plan.

This session will explore methods for assessing physical activity (PA) and fitness in children, adolescents, and adults. We will also examine physiologic and metabolic differences in healthy weight youth, and youth and adults with obesity. Evidence-based PA recommendations and guidelines for specific populations and special conditions which may require a referral will be discussed. Participants will experience various PA types and intensities and apply information to two case studies.

Learning Objectives

• Identify appropriate and reliable physical activity assessment & tracking tools for children and adults.
• Identify impact of physical activity on physiologic and metabolic factors.
• Utilize evidence-based recommendations and/or strategies for physical activity in the treatment of overweight obesity.
• Recognize when a referral to an appropriate health professional of physical activity is warranted.
• Apply physical activity knowledge and strategies to a case study.

In this session, you will learn about the complex etiology of obesity in the pediatric population. This knowledge will encompass learning about the epidemiology, prevalence, demographics, pathophysiology and the role of genetics in pediatric overweight and obesity. The learner will be able to ascertain how obesity in childhood leads to chronic disease and other risk factors in adulthood.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the epidemiology and prevalence of overweight and obesity in the pediatric population.
• Relate chronic disease risk factors in a pediatric population to the presence of overweight and obesity.
• Discuss the persistence of chronic disease risk factors and weight bias present in childhood and adolescence into adulthood.
• Explain the pathophysiology of overweight and obesity.
• Evaluate the genetic component in the prevalence and development of pediatric overweight and obesity.

In Utero

Learning Objectives

• Identify physiologic, metabolic and psychological factors at each stage of the life cycle that may predispose a patient to weight gain (e.g. maternal health (fetal programming) gestational weight gain, stages of growth in childhood, puberty, pregnancy, menopause, sarcopenia).
• Compare strategies for prevention of excess weight gain at each stage of the life cycle.

Tara as a Toddler

Learning Objectives

• Describe age- and developmentally appropriate activity patterns, feeding practices, eating behaviors for toddlers, children and adolescents.
• Describe the impact of parental food choices and feeding practices on pediatric eating behaviors and risk for developing overweight or obesity.
• Compare strategies for prevention of excess weight gain at each stage of the life cycle.

Childhood

Learning Objectives

• Apply current evidence-based or best practice recommendations for dietary management of weight status and associated medical comorbidities in the pediatric population.
• Describe the impact of parental food choices and feeding practices on pediatric eating behaviors and risk for developing overweight or obesity.
• Identify and utilize evidence-based or best practice recommendations for screening tools used to assess overweight and obesity in the pediatric population.
• Develop goals and an age, gender and developmentally appropriate family-centered plan for medical nutrition therapy for weight management of the pediatric patient.
• Practice the tenets of client-centered counseling for the prevention and management of overweight and obesity.
• Define BMI percentile, height for age, weight for age, and sexual maturity ratings and identify their indications for use in the anthropometric assessment of a toddler, child, and adolescent.

Adolescence

Learning Objectives

• Identify appropriate, evidenced-based interventions and recommendations for pediatric patients based on factors such as biomarkers, anthropometrics, comorbidities, family history, etc.
• Identify risk factors and symptoms of disordered eating patterns using appropriate screening tools and resources.
• Compare strategies for prevention of excess weight gain at each stage of the life cycle.

Learning Objectives

• Define each level of the social ecological framework.
• Understand how the social ecological framework informs the development of a community coalition.
• Identify a wide range of stakeholders that could be effective to include in an obesity prevention community coalition.
• Communicate the benefits of building a community-based Coalition for Obesity Prevention.

Learning Objectives

• Assess factors that influence weight loss and weight maintenance in a young adult, including life stage, physical activity, energy intake and health history.
• Address common misconceptions about weight loss and expectations for linear weight change.
• Develop realistic and sustainable weight management recommendations that align with a client’s lifestyle, preferences and readiness for change.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the clinical, lifestyle and life-stage factors that contribute to weight gain and obesity risk in adults, including the impact of perimenopause, sedentary behavior and psychosocial stressors.
• Describe the benefits, limitations and long-term considerations associated with obesity medications.
• Understand counseling implications for obesity pharmacotherapy and explain how medications complement, rather than replace nutrition, physical activity and other lifestyle interventions.

Learning Objectives

• Identify common nutrition-related complications following bariatric surgery, including micronutrient deficiencies, dumping syndrome, and post-bariatric hypoglycemia.
• Describe the role of the RDN in providing lifelong follow-up care, patient education, and behavior support after bariatric surgery.
• Assess behavioral and lifestyle factors that contribute to weight regain after bariatric surgery and identify strategies to support sustain weight management.

Learning Objectives

• Identify nutrition and lifestyle strategies to support healthy aging, preserve muscle and bone mass, and reduce the risk of chronic disease progression.
• Develop patient-centered interventions that address dietary quality, physical activity, social engagement, and behavior change in older adults experiencing weight regain.
• Assess the appropriateness of weight loss versus weight gain prevention in older adults with complex medical and nutritional needs.

This session will describe nontraditional settings for RDNs, emphasizing the necessity to know how the RDN is being paid, and how to show the value of the RDN to payers. This interactive session will highlight the nontraditional work settings for three RDN participants and challenge participants to think about how they are being paid for their nutrition/weight management services, and how to show their value to employers.

Learning Objectives

• Describe nontraditional work settings for RDNs.
• Describe the Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for obesity benefit for Medicare beneficiaries.
• Discuss methods for determining payment for RDN nutrition/weight management services and how to demonstrate value to payers and/or employers.