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Forward3rd Annual Essentials of Obesity Symposium - August 21, 2026
Program Overview
In 2022 the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) and International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO) issued new guidelines updating the previous 1991 guideline for bariatric surgery from the National Institute of Health (NIH). Since the original release of the 1991 guidelines, the research and treatment of metabolic and bariatric surgery has vastly expanded. Updates to criteria, thresholds, approved/endorsed procedures and devices, and considerations for comorbidities are not widely known or understood. The symposium offers the opportunity to bridge the knowledge gap for learners by disseminating these updates to learners who support bariatric patients in both the inpatient and outpatient settings.
In-Person and Virtual attendance options are available.
FEES
| Physician (Private physician located inside the Greater Houston Area)* | $230 | |
| Physician (Private physician located outside the Greater Houston Area) | $110 | |
| Physician (Houston Methodist) (HM PCG, SPG, MPAQ and ACO PCPs) | $30 | |
| All Other Health Care Professional (Houston Methodist) | $30 | |
| All Other Health Care Professional (Non-Houston Methodist) | $40 | |
| Residents / Fellows / Students | Complimentary | |
*In compliance with HM’s policy on Physician Non-Monetary Compensation regarding “Stark Law,” private physicians who reside and/or practice medicine within the Greater Houston Area are required to pay the full Fair Market Value registration fee.
Target Audience
Physicians, Weight Management Staff (RD), Inpatient Care Team (RN, RD, PT, OT, PCA)
Learning Objectives
Identify challenges faced by patients with obesity and develop strategies, within their scope, to better address patients’ needs
Identity opportunities to collaborate, across disciplines to offer more robust, comprehensive, and coordinate care to improve disease management and facilitate better patient outcomes
Utilize the most up-to-date information to provide optimal evidence-based treatment options to patients with obesity or met-s
Agenda subject to change without notice
3rd Annual Essentials of Obesity Symposium | ||
Time | Topics | Speaker |
7:30 AM | Registration and Breakfast | |
8:00 AM | Welcome | Nabil Tariq, MD, FACS, FASMBS |
Session 1: | ||
8:10 AM | Beyond the Numbers: Rethinking Metrics for Obesity Assessment and role of Body Composition | Aman Ali, MD |
8:30 AM | Evidence-Based Nutrition Care in Obesity Management: Current Trends, Interventions, and Patient Communication Best Practices | Wynnifred Hoodis, MS |
8:50 AM | What is the Least Amount of Exercise I can Get Away With? | Vadim Sherman, MD |
9:10 AM | Unlocking Movement: Behavioral & Psychological Approaches to Physical Activity | Brandon Jay, CEPT |
9:30 AM | Dietary Guidance for Patients on GLP-1s: Enhancing Adherence and Minimizing Bone and Muscle Loss | Monica Reinagel, MS |
10:15 AM | BREAK | |
Session 2: | ||
10:30 AM | Pharmacotherapy in Obesity Part I – Old Tools, New Insights: Revisiting Traditional Anti-Obesity Medications | Eleonora Avenatti, MD |
10:50 AM | Pharmacotherapy in Obesity Part II – GLP-1 and Other New Medications | Samaneh Dowlatshahi, MD |
11:10 AM | When GLP-1s aren’t Enough? | Jawairia Shakil, MD |
11:30 AM | LUNCH | |
Session 3: Jorge Leiva, MD | ||
12:00 PM | Obesity Therapies in 2026: Where Does Surgery Fit Now? | Matthew Hutter, MD |
12:30 PM | BREAK | |
1:00 PM | Innovations in Endoscopic Obesity Therapies: The Next Frontier | Thomas McCarty, MD |
1:20 PM | Obesity management: Case based discussion | Moderator: Kyle Stephens, MD |
1:50 PM | Smart Solutions: Digital Tools & AI Transforming Obesity Care | Ramiro Saavedra, MS |
2:10 PM | BREAK | |
Session 4: | ||
2:25 PM | The Hormonal Puzzle: A Case- Based Mapping of Appetite Pathways to Clinical Obesity | Bhargavi Patham, MD |
2:45 PM | Challenges of Managing Patients with Obesity in a Primary Care Practice | Margaret Umah, MD |
3:05 PM | On the Front Lines: Confronting the Realities of Primary Care - Panel Discussion | Moderator: Bernard Danna, MD |
3:35 PM | Voices of Success: Patient Journeys Across Medical, Surgical & Endoscopic Treatments | Moderator: Heather Hudkins, BSN |
4:05 PM | Closing Remarks and Evaluations | Nabil Tariq, MD, FACS, FASMBS |
In-person attendance will be held in the Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Avenue, Houston, Texas 77030).
Virtual information will be provided to registered learners.
COURSE DIRECTORS |
Nabil Tariq MD,FACS |
Vadim Sherman MD, FACS, FRCSC |
Interested in exhibiting? Contact us for more information.
Exhibitors
We gratefully acknowledge the following companies for participating as exhibitors for this activity:
Boehringer-Ingelheim
Boston Scientific
Johnson & Johnson
Lilly
Novo Nordisk
Sponsors
We gratefully acknowledge the following company for participating as a sponsor for this activity:
Intuitive Surgical
Price
FEES
| Physician (Private physician located inside the Greater Houston Area)* | $230 | |
| Physician (Private physician located outside the Greater Houston Area) | $110 | |
| Physician (Houston Methodist) (HM PCG, SPG, MPAQ and ACO PCPs) | $30 | |
| All Other Health Care Professional (Houston Methodist) | $30 | |
| All Other Health Care Professional (Non-Houston Methodist) | $40 | |
| Residents / Fellows / Students | Complimentary | |