Doctor at the University of Minnesota Advocates for Access to Obesity Treatment

Claudia Fox, MD, MPH, Associate Professor in the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, recently began advocating for political change regarding medical assistance for obesity and weight loss. Recently, she sat down with a 14-year-old patient with obesity to discuss treatment options, though they were limited because he was on Medical Assistance and was dealing with chronic obesity. Dr. Fox met with the House Health Finance and Policy Committee to discuss solutions to this problem, stating that these shortcomings in treatment options are an issue of equity, pointing out that other patients with chronic diseases don’t face these same challenges to receive medicine and medical treatment. Chronic obesity is caused by a variety of factors, but the biggest contributor is genetics which is out of the patient’s control. Though lifestyle factors can help to mitigate and control the effects of obesity-related health problems, medications to help control symptoms can make these lifestyle factors more achievable and realistic so patients have a better chance of making progress in these health-related goals. To read more about the full meeting between Dr. Fox and legislators, follow this link.