A year ago, Obesity Canada (OC) and the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons released new adult obesity treatment guidelines. By 2022, OC hopes to have new pediatric guidelines in place, as well. 

Canada is spending over $1 billion on much-needed national strategies for most major chronic diseases, but a well-funded plan for an obesity care framework is not among them. We want to make our guidelines the standard of care from coast to coast – but there is a lot of work to be done before a framework can be created. 

That’s why OC has dispensed with its traditional committee structure and created new Action Teams – small working groups of experts and graduate students who will focus on conducting strategic research designed to answer key questions and identify important knowledge gaps in key areas related to developing an obesity framework. The goal of each team will be to produce annual, high-impact intelligence that informs the creation of the framework for a national strategy, while also providing contributors’ the opportunity to do meaningful, publishable work. Each Action Team has allocated funds to help advance identified projects. In addition to allocated funds, each Action Team will have a yearly call for nominations for a Student/Trainee Award. 

There are four inaugural teams. Click the plus signs to learn more.

The call for 2022 term applications deadline has passed. Keep your eye open for the 2023 term call for applications in late 2022.

Objectives:

  • To identify gaps and develop recommendations for advancing Canada’s obesity research agenda
  • To identify gaps and develop recommendations to support the next generation of obesity scientists
  • Review nominations and select yearly student award

Timeline: 12 months

Deliverable: Recommendations for a Canadian obesity research and training agenda

Objectives:

  • To identify gaps and opportunities, and develop recommendations for advancing education to health professionals in Canada
  • To develop recommendations to establish standards of care for obesity
  • Review nominations and select yearly student award

Timeline: 12 months

Deliverable: Canadian obesity education strategy for healthcare professionals

Objectives:

  • To determine gaps and opportunities, and recommendations for advancing obesity prevention and management policy in Canada
  • To develop recommendations to implement the Canadian clinical practice guidelines
  • Review nominations and select yearly student award

Timeline: 12 months

Deliverable: Obesity prevention and management policy framework

Objectives:

  • To develop recommendations for integrating/elevating the voices of people living with obesity in research, education, and policy
  • To grow the patient community in Canada
  • To generate public and political support for the national obesity strategy
  • Review nominations and select yearly student award

Timeline: 12 months

Deliverable: Community engagement and public support framework

The call for applications for the 2022 term has closed.

FAQs

There is a simple application/request for applications process (link at bottom of the page) for interested members to let us know you want to help us shape the future of obesity care in Canada. Not all applicants can be accommodated, since we are creating lean, efficient teams. Part of the selection process will include suggested research topics or strategic projects that can inform a national framework within the key focus areas.

While some topics will require more work, we envision most teams will have a tenure of one year, with possible extensions.

Student members will be charged with leading the research activities for each team, presenting findings to senior team members, and writing papers and/or other outputs from the research with support from OC staff. We see this as a great opportunity for grad students to work with some of Canada’s top minds working in obesity and to produce publishable, collaborative and insightful research.

Each Action Team will receive a minimum of $10,000 to perform their work. Priority will be given to projects that collaborate with existing research teams and to leverage funding and other resources.

OC needs your expertise and guidance to inform any framework we develop! We want to make it as easy as possible for you. We envision each team having four or five virtual meetings per year to set goals and provide input to staff and the graduate student(s) on the team, plus additional time to review the final output of the project (journal paper, white paper, strategic communications collateral, etc.). OC staff will organize and support the teams as needed, so you can focus on the important work.

All team members will receive an honorarium for their work.

While our old model served us well, all committees have been closed. We thank our volunteers over the years for their valuable contributions, and we look forward to engaging you with our new Teams approach.

If you have any questions regarding the Action Team members or initiatives, please email us!