Scale Up Your Practice by Obesity Canada

• Knee & hip replacement recommendations for people living with obesity with Dr. Harman Chaudhry

  Delays, denials, and BMI cut-offs have long shaped access to joint replacement surgeryfor people living with obesity. Orthopaedic surgeon and steering committee member Dr. Harman Chaudhry joins us to unpack the new Canadian Orthopaedic Association recommendations for knee and hip replacements for people living with obesity. We cover what’s changed, why communication matters, and how clinicians and patients can navigate toward equitable, evidence-based surgical decisions.In this episodeReframing access to surgery: Why national recommendations were needed, how BMI cut-offs created inequities, and what’s changing with a more individualized, case-by-case approachBias, communication, and patient trust: How stigma shows up in surgical care—and why language, empathy, and open dialogue can change both outcomes and experiencesBalancing risk & benefit: What the evidence really says about outcomes for people living with obesity after hip and knee replacement, and how to guide risk-benefit conversations with patientsPractical advocacy in action: Steps clinicians and patients can take to improve access—optimizing health, asking for second opinions, and ensuring no one leaves an appointment without a planLooking ahead: How system design, central intake models, and collaborative advocacy can build a more equitable path to joint replacement across CanadaAdditional resourcesCanadian Orthopedic Association: Recommendations on Elective Total Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery in People Living with Obesity https://utm.guru/ujhto Announcement from Obesity Canada on the COA’s recommendations: https://utm.guru/ujhtp Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: https://utm.guru/ujhtq Explore our free, online education courses for healthcare professionals: https://utm.guru/ujhtr Don’t miss the Canadian Obesity Summit 2026Obesity Canada’s flagship scientific congress returns March 25–29, 2026 in Montréal, Québec. Join researchers, healthcare professionals, and advocate voices to connect the latest science with real-world care.Submit your abstract by October 31, and secure your spot at the conference. Early bird registration is open now through November 30, 2025.Learn more and register: https://utm.guru/ujhts 📩 Questions or topic requests?Email us: [email protected]🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Support the show:Share this episode with a colleague or studentSubscribe on your favourite podcast platformLeave a review to help others find the showThanks for listening—and stay with us as we continue to scale up your practice.

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• Advocating for patients in obesity care with Dr. Ian Patton

  🎙️ This episode is sponsored. Obesity Canada received an unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly Canada to produce this episode. 🎙️Access to obesity treatment in Canada can feel like a maze—for both patients and healthcare professionals.In this episode of Scale Up Your Practice, we sit down with Dr. Ian Patton, Obesity Canada’s Director of Advocacy and Public Engagement, to talk about the barriers people face in accessing obesity care—and how clinicians and patients can work together to change that.From the everyday challenges of navigating authorizations and waitlists to the bigger system-level barriers, Ian shares practical strategies clinicians can use to support patients within the realities of our current healthcare system—while working toward a more equitable one.In this episode:Why access to evidence-based obesity care remains inconsistent across CanadaHow delays, denials, and system barriers affect patient motivation and healthPractical steps clinicians can take to reduce friction and improve efficiencyThe power of communication, empathy, and trust in patient advocacyHow peer support and communities like OC Connect empower patientsWhat needs to change at a system level to make equitable care possibleAdditional resources:OC Connect patient community:https://utm.guru/ujesc Private insurance appeal letter: https://utm.guru/ujesd Workplace & employer resources: https://utm.guru/ujese Tell your government representative to recognize obesity as a chronic disease: https://utm.guru/ujesf The Patient-Physician Partnership in Advocacy: https://utm.guru/ujesg Don’t miss the Canadian Obesity Summit 2026Obesity Canada’s flagship scientific congress returns March 25–29, 2026, in Montréal, Québec. It’s where Canada’s obesity community—researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and lived experience advocates—comes together to share the latest science and advance care.✨ Early bird registration is open through November 30, 2025.Register today: https://utm.guru/ujesh 📩 Have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]🎧 Love what you’re learning? Here’s how you can support the podcast: ✅ Share this episode with a colleague or student✅ Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform✅ Leave a review to help more listeners find the showThanks for tuning in—and stay with us as we continue to scale up your practice.

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• Behaviour change counselling in obesity & chronic disease management with Dr. Michael Vallis & Dr. Tiffany Shepherd

  Behaviour change in obesity and chronic disease care is complex, relational, and happens far beyond the clinic visit—so our conversations with patients need to reflect that reality.In this episode of Scale Up Your Practice, we sit down with health psychologists Dr. Michael Vallis and Dr. Tiffany Shepherd to rethink how we teach behavioural change counselling skills. We explore the shift from transactional to relational care, the “Grand Apology” as a trust-building tool, and practical ways clinicians can co-create behavioural change with patients while navigating time and system constraints.In this episode:Why behavior change is a core pillar in the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice GuidelinesMoving from control to collaboration: the relational model in practiceCreating safe, efficient conversations that invite patient creativity and agencyTeam impact: how these skills strengthen inter-professional care and clinician confidenceBuilding competencies over time: awareness → competence → confidenceAdditional resources:Learn more about the Advanced Obesity Counselling Certification program: https://utm.guru/ujbvU Register for the November AOCC Cohort: https://utm.guru/ujbvV Read the research on behavioural change counselling: https://utm.guru/ujbvW Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines; Effective Psychological and Behavioural Change Interventions in Obesity Management: https://utm.guru/ujbvX Don’t miss the Canadian Obesity Summit 2026Obesity Canada’s flagship scientific congress returns March 25–29, 2026, in Montréal, Québec. It’s where Canada’s obesity community comes together — researchers, and healthcare professionals— to exchange ideas, share the latest science, and put evidence into practice.Register today: https://utm.guru/ujbvY 📩 Have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at [email protected]🎧 Love what you’re learning? Here’s how you can support the podcast: ✅ Share this episode with a colleague or student ✅ Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform ✅ Leave a review to help more listeners find the showThanks for tuning in—and stay with us as we continue to scale up your practice.

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• Pediatric Obesity Care with Dr. Stasia Hadjiyannakis

  🎙️ This episode is sponsored. Obesity Canada received an unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly Canada to produce this episode. 🎙️Pediatric obesity care is complex, deeply personal, and involves more than just the child—it involves the whole family.In this episode of Scale Up Your Practice, we sit down with Dr. Stasia Hadjiyannakis, pediatric endocrinologist, clinician, researcher, and advocate, to explore what compassionate, evidence-based support for children, youth, and their families can look like. From reframing outdated assumptions to tackling bias, Dr. Hadjiyannakis shares her journey, insights, and vision for better pediatric care.In this episode:What inspired Dr. Hadjiyannakis to focus on pediatric obesity careThe science of body weight regulation in children and youthWhy stigma and bias are so damaging in pediatric care—and what to do differentlyThe importance of listening, curiosity, and whole-family supportHow systemic gaps in education and care access continue to impact kids and familiesA hopeful look at what better care could mean for the next generationAdditional resources:Canadian Pediatric Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines: https://utm.guru/ui7Ph Edmonton Obesity Staging System for Pediatrics: https://utm.guru/ui7Pi  Free course: Intro to Pediatric Obesity: https://utm.guru/ui7Pj  Explore all of Obesity Canada’s education offerings: https://utm.guru/ui7Pk Don’t miss the Canadian Obesity Summit 2026Obesity Canada’s flagship scientific congress returns March 25–29, 2026, in Montréal, Québec. It’s where Canada’s obesity community comes together — researchers, and healthcare professionals— to exchange ideas, share the latest science, and put evidence into practice.Get the event details: https://utm.guru/ui7Pl   📩 Have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover? We’d love to hear from you!Email us at [email protected]🎧 Love what you’re learning? Here’s how you can support the podcast: ✅ Share this episode with a colleague or student ✅ Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform ✅ Leave a review to help more listeners find the showThanks for tuning in—and stay with us as we continue to scale up your practice.

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• Reframing Nutrition in Obesity Management with Dr. Flavio Vieira

  🎙️ This episode is sponsored. Obesity Canada received an unrestricted educational grant from Eli Lilly Canada to produce this episode. 🎙️Nutrition in obesity management is complex, deeply personal, and shaped by biology, culture, mental health, access, and lived experience.In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Flavio Vieira, Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Alberta, to explore what personalized, evidence-informed nutrition can really look like in practice. From tackling misconceptions to addressing malnutrition and advocating for multidisciplinary care, Dr. Vieira helps us rethink how nutrition fits into obesity care that’s compassionate, practical, and person-centred.In this episode:Why a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition doesn’t workHow biology, metabolism, and lived experience shape dietary responsesThe importance of integrating nutrition with other treatments (exercise, behavioural care, surgery, pharmacology)Malnutrition and sarcopenic obesity: what they mean for people living with obesityThe role of advocacy in bridging research and real-world practiceGaps in screening tools and why new approaches are neededA vision for more accessible, multidisciplinary models of careAdditional resources: Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: https://utm.guru/ui2XW Canadian Pediatric Obesity Clinical Practice Guideline: https://utm.guru/ui2XX Free course: A Deep Dive into Medical Nutrition Therapy and Physical Activity: https://utm.guru/ui2XY Explore Dr. Vieira’s research: Sarcopenic obesity diagnosis by different criteria mid-to long-term post-bariatric surgery: https://utm.guru/ui2XZ Poor muscle quality: a hidden and detrimental health condition in obesity: https://utm.guru/ui2X0 Hidden malnutrition in obesity and knee osteoarthritis: Assessment, overlap with sarcopenic obesity and health outcomes: https://utm.guru/ui2X1 📩 Have a question or a topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at [email protected]🎧 Enjoying the podcast? Here’s how you can support us: ✅ Share this episode with a colleague or student ✅ Subscribe on your favourite podcast platform ✅ Leave a review to help more listeners find the showThanks for tuning in—and stay with us as we continue to scale up your practice.

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