Obesity is a chronic, progressive and relapsing disease rooted in the brain, yet many patients still hear that losing weight is a matter of willpower. Pharmacists are often the most accessible healthcare providers for people living with obesity. This makes them well placed to correct misconceptions, set realistic expectations and support long-term treatment. This session works through four common myths using the Canadian Adult Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines. It covers how the body’s appetite system defends against fat loss, why weight plateaus and regain are expected rather than personal failures, and how much weight loss to expect from behavioural changes alone (about 1–5%), from adding pharmacotherapy (about 5–15%) and from adding surgery (about 20–40%). Participants will review how orlistat, naltrexone/bupropion and the GLP-1, GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists work, and how even 5–10% weight loss improves health. The session also covers how weight bias, including bias in healthcare, affects patient outcomes, and how to start respectful, patient-centred conversations about weight.

Sponsored by Lilly