Hours of learning: 5.5

Tutor(s) Dr Terry Maguire, Community Pharmacist, Belfast.

Aim
To motivate pharmacists to play an active role in both the prevention and management of obesity.

Intended learning outcomes
Having completed this workshop you should be able to:

• educate patients regarding the health risks associated with obesity
• explain the components of a healthy diet
• promote the important of lifestyle factors in relation to obesity
• review the evidence based relation to the pharmacological management of obesity and glycaemic control
• apply the skills necessary to engage individuals in a weight management programme

For whom
There has been a marked increase in levels of obesity among the general population in recent years with the UK and Ireland reported as having the highest level of obesity in Western Europe. As obesity is a major risk factor for a range of morbidities, there is a role for pharmacists to engage patients in weight management programmes with a view to improving health outcomes.