In this episode Dr. Hassink is joined by Dr. Stephen Cook, associate professor of pediatrics and internal medicine at the Golisano Children’s Hospital, to discuss weight bias and stigma in children and adolescents.

Related Resources:
•	AAP Policy Statement on Weight Bias and Stigma (https://tinyurl.com/4y4e627m)
•	Conversations about Care Bonus Episode: Interim Guidance on Obesity and COVID-19 (https://tinyurl.com/2p8m84ac) 
•	Conversations about Care Episode 4 – Weight for Length (https://tinyurl.com/y2kvyrzc)
•	ChangeTalk App on Motivational Interviewing (https://tinyurl.com/572kvekh)

Weight Bias and Stigma - Episode 11 - Conversations About Care

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Faith Heeren, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Heeren, once a pediatric patient at the Duke Healthy Lifestyles Clinic, is now a patient advocate and researcher focused on clinical interventions for adolescent obesity. Together, they discuss Dr. Heeren's journey and experiences with obesity treatment. 

Related Resources:
• Obesity CPG Homepage (tinyurl.com/52nz6m2m)
• Treatment for Obesity in Children and Teens (tinyurl.com/bddz69jx)
• Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for My Child (tinyurl.com/2cbhd762)

A Patient's Journey from Obesity Treatment to Advocate & Researcher

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Sarah Barlow, a professor of pediatrics at UT Southwestern in Dallas and head of the children's hospital integrated programs on obesity. Together, they discuss the new Healthy Eating Research consensus recommendations on healthy beverage consumption. 

Resources:
• Healthy Beverage Consumption in School-Age Children and Adolescents: Recommendations from Key National Health and Nutrition Organizations (https://tinyurl.com/2hztabmd)
• Healthy Beverage Consumption in Early Childhood (https://tinyurl.com/3fjp39v6)
• Healthy Beverage Quick Reference Guide (https://tinyurl.com/5n8tcte6)

New Consensus Healthy Beverage Recommendations for School-Age Children and Adolescents

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Asheley C. Skinner, Professor of Population Health at Duke University School of Medicine. Dr. Skinner also served as the methodologist on the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity. Together, they discuss the evidence behind the CPG.

Related Resources:
• Obesity CPG Homepage (tinyurl.com/52nz6m2m) 
• CPG Technical Report (I)  (https://tinyurl.com/y7bnnsmc)
• CPG Technical Report (II) (https://tinyurl.com/mv3s6eau)

Deeper Dive into the Evidence Behind the CPG

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by general pediatrician Kimberly Avila Edwards, MD, FAAP and registered dietician Ashley Carter, RD, LDN. Together, they share valuable insights on the significance of respecting diverse food traditions while encouraging balanced and nutritious meals. This episode will explore specific strategies for integrating these concepts into care, as well as ways to involve the entire family in the discussion.

Resources:
	• Watch the Nourish & Flourish webinar series, here (https://tinyurl.com/ya6d2xzr) *(Under "Webinars" > "Nourish & Flourish Webinar Series"))
	• Sign up for access to the Nourish & Flourish Speaker's Kit, here (https://tinyurl.com/3dtfbb3h)
	• Explore Heritage Diets - OLDWAYS (https://tinyurl.com/4p8hdfem)
	• Enjoy Foods from Many Cultures with MyPlate - USDA (https://tinyurl.com/krk6e3v2)
	• Healthy Plates Around the World (https://tinyurl.com/t4j6sx4f)
	• MyPlate for All Cultures - Snap4ct (Patient/Family Resource) (https://tinyurl.com/3vbc399x)


​The AAP gratefully acknowledges support for the Nouris​​h & Flourish Speaker's Kit, and this podcast episode, from the National Dairy Council.​​

Culturally Inclusive Approaches to Nutrition Education

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Kimberly Montez, a general pediatrician and author on the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Toolkit for Pediatricians to Address Food Security. Together, they discuss the impact of food insecurity on children, how pediatricians can assess families for food insecurity, and the new EQIPP module on promoting food security.

Resources:
	• EQIPP: Promoting Food Security (https://bit.ly/EQIPPFS)
	• Building Pediatrician Capacity to Address Food Insecurity (https://tinyurl.com/6ft45xfr)
	• Screen and Intervene: A Toolkit for Pediatricians to Address Food Insecurity (https://tinyurl.com/2wj36hmz)
	• Food Insecurity - Episode 2 - Conversations About Care (https://tinyurl.com/2rwm36a3)

Addressing Food Security in Pediatrics

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Pooja Tandon, a pediatrician and professor at the University of Washington, and Dr. Danette Glassy, a retired primary care pediatrician and co-founder of BestStart Washington. Together, they discuss the book Digging into Nature and the positive impact of outdoor time on children and families. 

Related Resources:
• Digging Into Nature: Outdoor Activities for Happier and Healthier Kids (https://tinyurl.com/2ww4nava)
• The Role of the Pediatrician in the Promotion of Healthy, Active Living (https://tinyurl.com/5fts9jhz)
• The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children | Pediatrics | American Academy of Pediatrics (https://tinyurl.com/5y5nyn2p)
•AAP Council on Community Pediatrics, Nature & Child Health Special Interest Group (https://tinyurl.com/5736byps)  
• Playing Outside: Why It’s Important for Kids - HealthyChildren.org (https://tinyurl.com/27mzw728)
• Episode 47 – Digging Into Nature: How Outdoor Adventures Help Kids Thrive - HealthyChildren.org (https://tinyurl.com/wd8tw2xx)

Benefits of Nature: Why It's Important for Children

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Sarah Hampl, Professor of Pediatrics at Children's Mercy in Kansas City, Center for Children's Healthy Lifestyles and Nutrition, and lead author on the 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline on Obesity. Dr. Hassink is also joined by Dr. Sarah Barlow, Professor of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, and executive council member on the section on obesity (SOOb). 

Together they discuss the 2025 AAP National Conference and Exhibition (NCE).

Related Resources:
• AAP National Conference and Exhibition, Website (aapexperience.org/)
• AAP Section on Obesity (tinyurl.com/3rx2rm4r)
• Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight, Website (tinyurl.com/yc88y53j)


Listening, Learning, and Growing at the 2025 NCE

In this episode, we present a recording of the Patient Panel from the 2025 Section on Obesity, Pediatric Obesity Management Virtual Course. This includes two enlightening patient conversations. The first features Dr. Syed in discussion with her patient, Marissa, who has undergone obesity treatment. The second conversation involves Dr. Queen and Ms. Henry, the mother of a young child who has also received obesity treatment. Together, these discussions will showcase the importance of the patient-provider relationship and the impact of obesity treatment.

Resources:
	• Treatment for Obesity in Children and Teens (tinyurl.com/bddz69jx)
	• Is Weight Loss Surgery Right for My Child (tinyurl.com/2cbhd762)
	• Institute Professional Education Resources (https://tinyurl.com/IHCWProfEducation)


Patient Experiences with Obesity Treatment - (SOOb Course 2025)

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Dr. Joey Skelton, a professor of pediatrics, and of epidemiology and prevention, at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Together they discuss Dr. Skelton's new book, Your Child is Not their Weight. 

Resources:
•	Your Child Is Not Their Weight: Parenting in a Size-Obsessed World (https://tinyurl.com/3b48sp26)
•	The Role of the Pediatrician in the Promotion of Healthy, Active Living (https://tinyurl.com/3byuuxdh)
•	Eating Disorder Webinar Series, 2024 & 2025 (Obesity Education Opportunities for Healthcare Professionals) (https://tinyurl.com/IHCWProfEducation)
•	Building a Foundation for Healthy Active Living, Module Series (https://tinyurl.com/y73veyrh)

Family-centered Approaches to Adopting Healthy Behaviors

Dr. Sandra Hassink is joined by Marian Tanofsky-Kraff,  who serves as the Professor and Vice Chair of Research in the Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, as well as the Director of the Developmental Research Laboratory focusing on Eating & Weight Behaviors at Uniformed Services University. Together, they discuss Marian's book, The New Food Fight: How the Weight Management and Eating Disorder Fields Became So Divided and What We Can Do About It.
 
Resources:
•	The New Food Fight: How the Weight Management and Eating Disorder Fields Became So Divided and What We Can Do About It (https://tinyurl.com/ydzenfxp)
•	Eating Disorders in Children and Adolescents, 2025 and 2024 Webinar Series (https://tinyurl.com/IHCWProfEducation)
•	Compassionate Communication: Empathetic, Non-stigmatizing and Engaging Conversations About Weight, Webinar (https://tinyurl.com/IHCWProfEducation


Unmasking Misconceptions Surrounding Eating Disorders and Weight Management

Welcome to the Conversations About Care Podcast! 

The  Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight, in partnership with  Bright Futures, has created a pilot podcast series called Conversations About Care. The focus of the series is to highlight pragmatic and lively conversations between health care providers. Host, Sandy Hassink, MD, FAAP, dialogs with guests about important themes in practice associated with healthy childhood weight and related practical strategies and resources to support patient-centered care within the changing landscape of medicine and social norms. 

The Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight serves as a translational engine for pediatric obesity prevention, assessment, management and treatment; and moves policy and research from theory into practice in American healthcare, communities, and homes.

Weight Bias and Stigma - Episode 11 - Conversations About Care

Institute for Healthy Childhood Weight

Related tracks