28TH ANNUAL FELDMAN LECTURE
DR. ARYA SHARMA
OBESITY – ASSESSMENT & TREATMENT
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4TH 2011
GREY NUNS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
Dr. Arya M. Sharma, MD/PhD, FRCPC is Professor of Medicine & Chair for Cardiovascular Obesity Research and
Management at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada; Medical Director of the Edmonton Capital Health Region’s
Interdisciplinary Weight Wise Program; Scientific Director of the Canadian Obesity Network funded through the federal Networks
of Centres of Excellence program; Medical Director of the Edmonton Regional Bariatric Program; & President of the Canadian
Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons
His past appointments include Professor of Medicine and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) at McMaster University (2002-2007),
Professor of Medicine at the Franz-Volhard Klinik - Charité, Humboldt University Berlin (2000-2002) and the Free University of
Berlin (1994-2000). His research focuses on the evidence-based prevention and management of obesity and its complications. He is
a member of several scientific associations, including the Canadian and International Societies of Hypertension; Fellow of the
Council for High Blood Pressure Research of the American Heart Association; and on the editorial boards of several academic
journals.
In 2005, he spearheaded the launch of the Canadian Obesity Network, which, with well over 5000 members, has remarkably
transformed the landscape of obesity research and management in Canada. His research focuses on an evidence-based approach to
managing obese patients and includes the development of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System. Dr. Sharma has authored or
coauthored more than 300 publications and has lectured widely on the etiology and management of hypertension, obesity, and
related cardiometabolic disorders. Dr. Sharma is regularly featured as a medical expert in national and international TV and print
media including the CBC, CTV, New York Times, and MSNBC. Dr. Sharma maintains a widely-read blog where he regularly
posts his ideas and thoughts on obesity prevention and management: http://www.drsharma.ca
Dr. Sharma has received the following awards: Key Note Lecture Award, Korean Society for the Study of Obesity; Clinical research
Award, American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery; Annual Art Macgregor Lecture Award, Vancouver Island Health
Authority; Gordon Reid MacDonald Memorial Lecturer Award, Misericordia Hospital; Distinguished Lecturer, Division of Cardiology,
University of British Columbia; Rick Gallop Award for Research Excellence, Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario; RD Wright
Lecture, High Blood Pressure Research Council of Australia; Canada Research Chair, Cardiovascular Obesity Research & Management;
Dieter Klaus Forderpreis, German Society for Hypertension.
OBESITY: Extreme obesity affects nearly 8% of Canadians and is debilitating, costly and ultimately lethal; current obesity “pandemic”
expected to result in considerable downstream morbidity, mortality and incremental costs to health care systems around the world; an
estimated 59% of Canadian adults and 26% of children and adolescents are overweight; Excess weight is strongly associated with
dozens of diseases including diabetes, hypertension, cancer, mental illness, osteoarthritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease-obstructive
sleep apnea and chronic pain; one in four Canadian adults and one in ten Canadian children are now clinically obese; assessment of
obesity; brain regions that control appetite; psychiatric conditions affect appetite, weight & metabolism; pharmacologic &
nonpharmacologic strategies for weight management; potential interactions with psychiatric medications and disorders; burning of
calories by muscle versus fat; age & metabolism; gender versus metabolism; leptin; ghrelin; weight loss decreases metabolism;
physiology & psychology of weight management; is hunger an addition; compulsion to eat; brain response to food cues; the appetitive
network; craving; gut-brain interactions in appetite control; clinical co-morbidity including depression, ADHD; bariatric surgery;
mental health as a barrier to obesity management; does treating obesity cause remission of depression; binge eating disorder; BMI;
association between obesity& health related quality of life in patients with coronary artery disease; medical tourism approach to the
surgical management of obesity; unhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol and drug use are also often associated with mental
illness and make exercise and healthy nutritional choices more difficult; prevalence of Axis I disorders among weight loss surgery
candidates ranges from 20 – 60% with mood & anxiety disorders being the most common while Axis II disorders are seen in
approximately 25% of surgical candidates
This Grey Nuns Hospital Grand Rounds event is approved for 5 hours as an Accredited Group Learning
Activity under Section 1 of the Framework of CPD options for the Maintenance of Certification Program of the
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.
0730 – 0815
Registration & Continental Breakfast
1200 – 1300
Lunch - Gymnasium
0815 - 1000
Lecture 1 – Prevalence & Comorbidity
1300 – 1400
Lecture 3 – Treatment Options
1000 –1030
Refreshments
1400 – 1500
Lecture 4 - Meet the Professor
1030 - 1200
Lecture 2 – The Science of Obesity
REGISTRATION FORM
____________________________________________________________________________________
Name
Profession
___________________________________________________________________________________
Address
Bus. Phone #
E-Mail
Yes, I plan to attend the Zane Feldman Lectures and Luncheon and have enclosed a cheque or money order for $125.00 made
payable to Feldman Lecture Fund. Because of the widespread and general interest in obesity we are extending the invitation to
spouses and significant others. Spouses & significant others will be required to register and pay the listed fee.
Registration fee after October 4th 2011 is $150.00. No refunds after October 4th, 2011. Please detach registration form and
return to: Grey Nuns Community Hospital, Psychiatry Program, Room 1810, 1100 Youville Drive West, Edmonton, Alberta
T6L 5X8 Sorry, but we do not accept Visa or MasterCard.
For further information please phone Sharon Reimer at 780-735-7145 or e-mail sharon.reimer@covenanthealth.ca