Obesity Course

Tuesday 20 January

Courses

Tue 20 Jan | Online Half Day Course

13:00 - 16:45

Online

Activity code: tbc

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Overview

This half-day online course hosted by the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) in collaboration with Obesity Action Scotland is a must-attend for anyone interested in public health, clinical practice, or policy-making around obesity.

Obesity is one of the most pressing public health challenges of our time, and this expertly curated programme offers a rare opportunity to explore it from multiple angles—scientific, societal, and global. With leading voices from academia, policy, and lived experience, the event promises rich insights into the complexity of obesity, from its genetic roots to the language we use with patients. Whether you're a clinician, researcher, policymaker, or advocate, this course will deepen your understanding and equip you with tools to engage more thoughtfully and effectively.

Top Reasons to Attend:

Global & Multidisciplinary Perspectives: Hear from experts across Europe and South Asia, blending epidemiology, genetics, policy, and lived experience.
Real Talk on Communication: Learn how to approach conversations about obesity with empathy, precision, and shared decision-making.
Evidence Meets Experience: Gain insights from cutting-edge research and firsthand accounts that challenge stigma and promote inclusive, evidence-based solutions.

Target audience:

The range of topics and excellent expert speakers will appeal to both general and specialist clinicians dealing with obesity in primary and secondary care. Medics of any grade, Allied Health Professionals, including nursing and pharmacy colleagues, and those with a particular interest in public health.

Organising Committee:

Dr Kerri Baker

Dr Andrew Fraser

Mr Robin Ireland

Event Poster

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Programme

Tuesday 20 January 2026

12:45	Livestream opens
13:00	Welcome Dr Kerri Baker, Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

Session 1

Chair: Mr Robin Ireland, Interim Head of Obesity Action Scotland

13:05	Obesity - the scope of the problem Speaker tbc * epidemiology * scene-setting
13:30	Living with obesity Ms Jacqueline Bowman, Foundation for the Rights of Citizens with Obesity * user with lived experience * discrimination * evidence based policies
13:55	Is obesity a choice? Professor Giles Yeo, Molecular Endocrinologist & Programme Leader at MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Cambridge * genes * food * environment
14:20	The international experience Speaker tbc * obesity in South East Asia
14:45 - 15:05	Break

Session 2

Chair: Dr Andrew Fraser, Chair of Obesity Action Scotland Steering Group & Retried Public Health Physician

15:05	We need to talk - how to talk about obesity with patients Professor Naveed Sattar, Scottish Medical Researcher & Professor of Cardiometabolic Medicine/Honorary Consultant, University of Glasgow * language * shared decision making
15:30	Weight loss - drug treatment speaker tbc * drug treatments * complications * risks v benefits
15:55	Weight loss - what is the role of bariatric surgery in the GLP-1 era? Miss Jennifer Henderson Darrien, Consultant Bariatric, UGI & General Surgeon, Associate Medical Director Phoenix Health * common surgical procedures (for medics) * complications * risks v benefits
16:20	Weight loss management services Speaker tbc * behavioural changes * what is the evidence? * managing family weight * resource constraints
16:45	Summary, thanks & close

Please note that on occassion event programmes may be subjected to change due to unforseen circumstances.

Fees

Not a Member of RCPE? By joining the College, you can save up to 100% on event fees for our symposia, courses and Evening Medical Update programme. Find out more about joining the College and our membership benefits via our membership webpages.

	Fee £
Standard Fee	£135
RCPE Fellow, Collegiate & Associate Member	£85
Allied Health Professional	£85
RCPE retired Fellow and RCPE Foundation Member	£35
RCPE Fellow in low or lower-middle income country	£0
RCPE Student Member	£0

Long term / other leave: Fellows and Members, please contact the Symposium Co-ordinator as some discretion may be available.

Invoices

If you wish your employer/organisation to be invoiced for this event, please contact the event coordinator. Payment via invoice is not available whilst booking online.

Free places

Unpaid post: If RCPE Member, please provide confirmation of status to the event coordinator in order to access this event for free

Refugee doctors: Free places are available to refugee doctors who are Associate Members of the College, please contact the event coordinator for more information. Associate Membership for refugee doctors is available free of charge. Please visit our membership pages for more information on joining the College as a refugee doctor.

Cancellation policy

If you have to cancel your place within 4 days of this event, we regret that we are unable to provide a refund.

The event will be available to view on-demand for 28 days after the live event, therefore, there is still an opportunity to view the talks if you are not able to attend on the day.

Booking Terms & Conditions: Please read the College’s full event booking Ts&Cs regarding event changes, CPD, and data protection in the event policies section on our Event FAQ pages.

Further information

Certificates

All relevant events are approved for Continuing Professional Development (CPD). To receive a CPD certificate delegates must have completed the online feedback survey. The survey will close 28 days after the original broadcast of the event on 17 February 2026, with certificates being issued shortly after this.

Certificates cannot be issued after the survey has closed.

Catch-up

Registered delegates can view this event on catch-up for up to 28 days following the live event until, i.e. until 17 February 2026. Please note that in line with Federation rules, the CPD period is 28 days from the live event. To obtain a CPD certificate you must have completed the online feedback survey by 17 February 2026.

If you are unable to attend this event live but would like to view this event for 28 days post-event and qualify for a CPD certificate (if feedback is completed), please register before the live event is due to take place in order to be given access. It is not possible to register for catch-up viewing after the live event has taken place.

Event co-ordinator

Marie Allan

Telephone

+ 44 (0)131 247 3680

m.allan@rcpe.ac.uk

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