Obesity and metabolic disease prevalence is rising in Wisconsin along with rest of the world. Patients we see daily, in clinics and hospitals, are increasingly suffering from these conditions. In addition to its serious health consequences, obesity has real economic costs that affect all of us. The estimated annual health care costs of obesity-related illness are a staggering $190.2 billion or nearly 21% of annual medical spending in the United States.

Every primary care and sub-specialty practice (e.g., Orthopedics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Transplant Surgery etc.) is trying to find ways to provide appropriate care for these patients. In addition to being challenging, these patients also need multidisciplinary care and each specialty needs to have more than basic understanding of what the available treatments and innovations are. This program is open all health care providers to develop a working knowledge and understanding of the current status of treatment and prevention strategies for obesity, where the gaps lie, and engage in a productive dialogue to benefit patients in future.