Welcome and thank you for joining the Section on Obesity (SOOb),
You are part of a team of hundreds of pediatricians who share a common mission to provide the highest quality of care to children and families who are affected by obesity, while at the same time advocating for policies and programs both inside and outside our clinic walls that help to prevent obesity and optimize child health and well-being.
To achieve our mission, the SOOb aims to:
- Train, support, and arm our members with the tools and resources needed to deliver high quality obesity prevention, assessment, and treatment which also includes addressing the psychosocial aspects of obesity. We do this at least in part through our strong relationship with the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight and through policy such as SOOb-led AAP statement on promoting healthy, active living.
- Engage and empower our members to advocate for policy, environmental, and systems level changes at the community, state, and federal levels. We do this in many ways, such as through publication of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents With Obesity and ongoing efforts to support its implementation as well as our SOOb-led AAP statement in support of bariatric surgery which is helping to pave the way for more communities to be able to offer this treatment to pediatric patients that need.
- Create and support a community of pediatricians who network, learn from each other, and receive support, opportunities, and recognition from the Section as they pursue new, innovative, and evidence-based approaches to optimize childhood obesity care. We do this in many ways, including hosting an annual pediatric obesity CME course, providing pilot funding for resident projects, and connecting with each other via our COACH network and list-serves to share best practices and new ideas.
On behalf of the SOOb Executive Committee, welcome. We are glad you have chosen to be a part of our Section and we look forward to working together to achieve our shared goals. Please explore the Member’s Only Collaborate site, connect with other members, and contribute your expertise to the Section. Please do not hesitate to contact me or Stephanie Womack, our Section Manager, with any suggestions you have for making our Section more helpful and effective for you.
Sincerely,
Matthew “Matt” Haemer, MD, FAAP
Chair, AAP Section on Obesity