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OPATS Journal

Fully paid Members and Fellows will receive 4 quarterly copies of the
Obesity Management journal as part of their subscription. This is an American journal with a clinical focus. A feature we particularly value is the journal review in which recent important research papers are reviewed and summarised to allow our members to keep up to date with the latest research of clinical relevance.

Resources

Audio-Visual CD on Psychology of Eating & Symposium Proceedings

At the 2006 Noosa Symposium we had the unique experience of listening to Keynotes by Professor Peter Herman and Professor Janet Polivy from Canada. These two prolific authors can be considered the founding parents of 'Restraint Theory'. After reviewing the evolution of Restraint Theory and the False Hope Syndrome, they spoke about their latest research. Dr Blair-West, who had been communicating with them for some time, then looked at the application of their work to clinical practice. This recording is an opportunity to review this critical field of human behaviour.

To order either the Keynote addresses or the entire proceedings click here: Order Form for Symposium CD. The CD includes both the audio and the relevant power point slides from the respective presentations.

Welcome to OPATS

The Imperative

The Obesity Prevention and Treatment Society (OPATS) was formed in early 2006 by clinicians working with obese people who recognized that traditional approaches to weight loss were having very limited success. Traditional, non-surgical weight loss strategies have 5 year success rates of typically less than 20%. With 60% of the population obese or overweight, the Society operates from the imperative of promoting prevention at primary, secondary and tertiary levels and improving treatment outcomes. Estimates of the impact of obesity in Australia show that obesity causes almost one-quarter of type 2 diabetes (23.8%) and osteoarthritis (24.5%), and around one-fifth of cardiovascular disease (21.3%) and colorectal, breast, uterine and kidney cancer (20.5%). With 1 in 4 children and young people overweight, the target population is the modern family in its many forms.

By Clinicians For Clinicians

OPATS was formed by clinicians from all health disciplines for clinicians working in the 'front line' of obesity management. As with other 'lifestyle' conditions, working with the obese population can be demoralising . Yet there are many experienced clinicians having great success with innovative approaches utilizing the latest developments in research and clinical practice. OPATS is the forum for the sharing of this clinical knowledge and the evidence base on which it rests.

The Second Tier

The first tier issue of educating people of the need to 'eat less fattening food and exercise more' has been widely disseminated. The Society recognises that many are now aware of this and the challenge is that of helping people with the second tier issue of lifestyle change i.e. 'why don't I eat and exercise in the healthy way I want to' and 'why do I sabotage my weight loss plans?' Central to the Society's approach is the recognition of obesity as primarily a complex psychophysiological condition overlayed by social and environmental factors. An effective solution will require the integrated expertise of health care professionals and public planners in developing a coordinated and united response.

The membership of the Society represents the clinical fields of Psychology, Gastric Surgery, Dietetics, Psychiatry, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Medicine & General Practice.

Our Goals

The following extract from our Constitution outlines the goals of the Society:

"2.1 The objects for which the Society is established are:

(a) To inform:

(i) the general public
(ii) policy makers and
(iii) health care professionals about the treatment, prevention and education of obesity with particular concern for children and their families.

(b) To raise awareness that obesity, at its core, is a complex psychological problem that is overlayed by physiological, social, cultural and environmental factors.

(c) To promote, review, integrate and ‘translate’ research that in turn promotes the Society’s capacity to improve intervention outcomes.”

Upcoming Events

The Team Weighs Up

Brisbane, Saturday 7 November 2009

This year as well as workshopping clinical skill development in the fields of mindfulness and hypnosis, we are meeting to review two key recently published reports: "Weighing it up: Obesity in Australia" & "Australia the healthiest Country by 2020."

The focus will be on working with the multi-disciplinary team in managing the complex psychophysiology of obesity and weight loss.

For our brochure or to book click here.

2010 International Conference

In late 2010 we will be hosting an International Conference in conjunction with national and international organisations that focus on the prevention and management of obesity at the clinical and family levels. Watch this space for more information in early 2010.