Let’s Talk About Obesity And… Inspiration, Community, and Advocacy: Your Health Matters Summit 2024
Obesity Matters held its annual summit on April 27, 2024, at the Village Loft in Toronto. This hybrid event saw an audience of over 250. Hosts Sandra Elia and Rachel Atkins kicked off the day, aligning with the theme of World Obesity Day: Let’s Talk About Obesity And___. Their welcome set the tone for a day filled with insightful discussions and empowering messages.
Inspiring Medicine and Mindset Masterclass
The summit began with an inspiring Medicine and Mindset Masterclass led by Dr. Sasha High. She provided insights into realistic strategies and emphasized the profound impact of mindset in overcoming health challenges. Dr. High inspired attendees to take meaningful, manageable steps towards better health, highlighting the importance of setting achievable goals and valuing progress over perfection.
Discussion on Cravings and Culinary Medicine
Following the masterclass, Dr. Jeff Alfonsi and Sandra Elia engaged in a discussion on cravings, highlighting how they can be genetic and rooted in the subconscious brain. They differentiated between physical and emotional hunger and encouraged celebrating small wins. Dr. Alfonsi introduced the concept of culinary medicine and discussed the use of AI, such as RxFood, to make healthier food choices based on tracked data.
Fireside Chat on Your Milestone Moments
The Fireside chat moderated by Dr. Sandy Van was another highlight of the day. Panelists Aashni Shah, Shilpa Joshi, and Thomas Gewarges shared vulnerable and relatable stories, motivating and inspiring attendees to envision a healthier life. This session emphasized the importance of celebrating personal milestones and successes.
Clinical Trials and Advancements
Dr. Sean Wharton shed light on various facets of clinical trials, focusing on their pivotal role in shaping advancements. He emphasized the importance of inclusivity in trials to ensure diverse representation across demographics, fostering an accurate understanding of drug efficacy across different groups. Dr. Wharton’s expertise underscored the importance of clinical trials in developing effective treatments, particularly in weight control and obesity.
Keynote on Happiness and Mental Well-being
Dr. Gillian Mandich captivated the audience with her keynote on “Exploring the Path to Happiness and Mental Well-being.” She challenged common misconceptions about happiness and illustrated its deeply multifaceted nature. Dr. Mandich discussed the cognitive and affective components of happiness and the influence of genetics, environment, and personal actions on well-being. She urged attendees to cultivate happiness through micro-moments of gratitude and awe-inspiring experiences, and even brought her therapy dog Jocko to the stage wearing a smiley shirt.
Your Health Matters: Jeopardy Challenge
On the lighter side, Obesity Matters advisors Andrew Locker, Lisa Machado, and Neda Nasseri, along with Jenny Pitsiniaga, hosted the Your Health Matters: Jeopardy Challenge. This engaging activity offered a great opportunity for the virtual audience to participate. The questions ranged from health topics on obesity and nutrition to fun trivia like identifying the everyday item originally called the “Whirlwind” before its name was changed.
Conclusion and Networking
The summit concluded with OM Executive Director, Priti Chawla, sharing her reason for starting Obesity Matters, thanking the audience and sponsors for their support, and highlighting the strides that Obesity Matters had made in a short span of three years. Sandra and Rachel’s vibrant hosting style kept the event lively with fun walk-up songs introducing each speaker. Dancing along together truly showcased how Obesity Matters succeeds at creating a strong sense of community while also keeping it enjoyable and encouraging physical movement throughout the day. There was ample opportunity for networking during lunch and after the summit. The audience comprised advocates, community members, health tech professionals, and media representatives. The speakers delivered thought-provoking messages that challenged attendees to consider the multi-faceted nature of obesity, with love and compassion prevailing. The event was also a reminder that addressing obesity requires a collaborative effort from healthcare professionals, educators, corporations, media, policymakers, and individuals.
Acknowledgements and Event Highlights
We wish to thank our sponsors and partners without whose help this would not have been possible. Get a glimpse of the event through these photos. Scroll down or click this LINK for the summit videos.
Event Photos
