The Relationship Between Obesity & COVID-19

February 17, 2022

These materials intended only for those that attended the live activity on February 17, 2022.

Activity description 

This activity will provide an overview of the relationship between obesity and COVID-19. Participants will also learn about the risk factors and health disparities pertaining to obesity and COVID-19.

Provided by
This activity is jointly provided by OptumHealth Education and UnitedHealth Group, Medical and Health & Safety.

Commercial support
There was no commercial support received for this activity.

Required hardware/software
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Target Audience

This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of dietitians, nurses, nurse practitioners, physicians, PAs and other health care professionals that have an interest in learning about obesity and COVID-19.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this educational activity, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the role of obesity as a significant and potentially modifiable risk factor for increased COVID-19 infection severity and the development of more severe disease sequelae after infection.
  • Provide an overview of the correlations between obesity and the risk of developing post-COVID-19 syndrome. 
  • Discuss the reciprocal relationship between obesity and the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Identify how health disparities contribute to both obesity and COVID-19 infection risks and outcomes. 
  • Recognize the long-term impact of COVID-19 on obesity rates in adults and children. 

Additional Information

Activity summary
Available credit: 
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacists
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 CDR - Dietitians
Activity opens: 
02/15/2022
Activity expires: 
03/19/2022
Event starts: 
02/17/2022 - 2:00pm EST
Event ends: 
02/17/2022 - 3:00pm EST
Rating: 
0

Presenter
Shiara M. Ortiz-Pujols, MD, MPHShiara M. Ortiz-Pujols, MD, MPH, Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, DipABLM
Obesity Medicine Medical Director
Med Express | Employer Health Solutions/Centers for Digital Health


About the presenter
Dr. Shiara Ortiz-Pujols is the Medical Director of the Obesity Medicine Program at Med Express. She completed her undergraduate studies at Yale University. She then went on to receive her MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and MPH at the University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health. 

Her post medical training includes training in surgery, preventive medicine/ population health and obesity medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She continued her studies in obesity medicine as a UHG Clinical Scholar in Obesity Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College under the mentorship of world-renowned obesity physician, Dr. Louis Aronne, and the current director of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, Dr. Rekha Kumar. 

She has a strong commitment to person-centered, wholistic care and strives to expand high-quality, evidence based, and culturally competent care to all. 

Activity planners
Elizabeth Albert, MD
Activity Manager
OptumHealth Education 

Disclosures of relevant financial relationships
In accordance with the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education's (ACCME) Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education, OptumHealth Education (OHE) requires all those in control of educational content to disclose their financial relationships with ineligible companies within the prior 24 months. Ineligible companies are defined by the ACCME as companies whose primary business is producing, marketing, selling, re-selling, or distributing health care products used by or on patients. Individuals must disclose all financial relationships, regardless of the amount, with ineligible companies and regardless of their view of the relevance of the relationship to the education. OHE ensures that the content is independent of commercial bias.

The activity faculty or planners have no financial relationships to disclose.

Method for calculating CE credit
CE credit was calculated by the complexity of content.

Accreditation statement
Joint Accreditation LogoIn support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by OptumHealth Education and UnitedHealth Group, Medical and Health & Safety. OptumHealth Education is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the health care team.

Credit designation statements

Dietitians 
Completion of this RD/DTR profession-specific or IPCE activity awards CPEUs (One IPCE credit=One CPEU). 

If the activity is dietetics-related but not targeted to RDs or DTRs, CPEUs may be claimed which are commensurate with participation in contact hours (One 60 minute hour=1 CPEU). 

RD's and DTRs are to select activity type 102 in their Activity Log. Performance indicator selection is at the learner's discretion. 

Nurses
The participant will be awarded up to 1.0 contact hour(s) of credit for attendance and completion of supplemental materials.

Nurse practitioners
The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Program (AANPCP) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME and ANCC.

Pharmacists/Pharmacy technicians
This activity is approved for 1.0 contact hours ([0.10] CEU) in states that recognize ACPE.
Attending the full program will earn 1.00 contact hours.
Unique Activity Number(s): JA0007123-9999-22-125-L01-P/T

Physicians
OptumHealth Education designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

PAs
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) accepts credit from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be provided to learners upon completion of activity requirements, enabling participants to register with licensing boards or associations that have not been pre-approved for credits. To apply for credit types not listed above, participants should use the procedure established by the specific organization with which they wish to obtain credit.

Available Credit

  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacists
  • 1.00 ACPE - Pharmacy Technicians
  • 1.00 AMA - Physicians
  • 1.00 ANCC - Nurses
  • 1.00 Attendance - General Attendance
  • 1.00 CDR - Dietitians
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These materials intended only for those that attended the live activity on February 17, 2022

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