Houston Methodist 3rd Annual Essentials of Obesity Symposium 2026

The third Annual Essentials of Obesity Symposium reviews the practical choices involved in comprehensive weight management. Directed by Nabil Tariq and Vadim Sherman, the Houston Methodist program connects assessment and body composition with nutrition, physical activity, behavioral support, and pharmacotherapy. Later sessions consider bariatric surgery, endoscopic treatments, appetite pathways, digital tools, and the challenges of primary care. The August 21, 2026 meeting in Houston was offered in person and virtually. Its mix of clinical cases, panel discussions, and patient perspectives is relevant to physicians, dietitians, nurses, therapists, and other professionals working with patients across medical, surgical, and endoscopic treatment pathways.

Learning Objectives

• Identify challenges faced by patients with obesity and develop strategies, within their professional scope, to better address patient needs.
• Identify opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration to provide more robust, comprehensive, and coordinated care aimed at improving disease management and patient outcomes.
• Utilize the most up-to-date information to provide optimal evidence-based treatment options to patients with obesity or met-s.

The original surgery session, “Obesity Therapies in 2026: Where Does Surgery Fit Now?”, was listed as non-accredited. Live registration, attendance credit, and provider platform access are not included with store files. The original topic sequence is retained below; it does not independently confirm every live activity’s recording coverage.

Topics

• 01 Obesity – 2025 Lancet and 2022 IFSOASMBS Guidance Shift Diagnosis From BMI to Body Composition
• 02 Adult Obesity Care – Translating Evidence-Based Dietary Approaches Into Primary Practice
• 03 Obesity Management – Diet for Weight Loss, Exercise for Cardiometabolic Health, and Lean Mass Preservation
• 04 Exercise Counseling – Habit-Loop Strategies for Lifelong Patient Adherence
• 05 GLP-1 Weight-Loss Agents – Nutrition and Resistance Training Strategies to Safeguard Muscle and Bone
• 06 Obesity Pharmacotherapy Update – Safety, Dosing, and Patient Selection for Naltrexone–Bupropion and Phentermine–Topiramate
• 07 GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Obesity Care – Practical Guide to Agent Choice, Plateaus, and Patient Expectations
• 08 Obesity – Managing Inadequate Weight Loss on GLP-1 Therapy-Dose, Biology, or Access
• 09 Metabolic Bariatric Surgery in Obesity Care – Navigating New BMI Criteria and the Rising GLP-1 Landscape
• 10 Obesity Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty and Next-Gen EBMTs – Integrating With GLP-1 Agents to Expand Non-Surgical Care
• 11 Obesity Class II–III – Patient-Centered Sequencing of GLP-1 RAs, Endoscopic, and Bariatric Interventions
• 12 Obesity Care – Integrating Wearables, AI Apps, and CGMs to Boost Patient Engagement and Data-Driven Decisions
• 13 Obesity Management Insights – Differentiating Hunger Phenotypes to Guide GLP-1GIP and Adjunct Therapies
• 14 Obesity Management in Primary Care – Strategies to Diagnose, Counsel, and Treat Amid Common Barriers

Presenters and Moderators

• Aman Ali, MD
• Wynnifred Hoodis, MS
• Vadim Sherman, MD
• Brandon Jay, CEPT
• Monica Reinagel, MS
• Eleonora Avenatti, MD
• Samaneh Dowlatshahi, MD
• Jawairia Shakil, MD
• Matthew Hutter, MD
• Thomas McCarty, MD
• Ahmed Ali, MD; Aman Ali, MD; Vadim Sherman, MD; Thomas McCarty, MD
• Moderator: Kyle Stephens, MD
• Ramiro Saavedra, MS
• Bhargavi Patham, MD
• Margaret Umah, MD
• Jawairia Shakil, MD; Bhargavi Patham, MD; Margaret Umah, MD; Archana Sadhu, MD
• Moderator: Bernard Danna, MD
• Jerry Guidry; Tyler Hutchins; Pamela Berdou; Rita Thibelang
• Moderator: Heather Hudkins, BSN
• Nabil Tariq, MD, FACS, FASMBS