Dr. Robert Kushner
Obesity medications are frequently in the news for their ability to drive weight loss, but their true value goes much deeper: they can be a powerful gateway to long-term health. For many living with the chronic disease of obesity, these medications serve as an anchor. They secure foundational weight loss that previously felt completely out…
If you want to know where the future of health is heading, look no further than the 2026 American Diabetes Association (ADA) Scientific Sessions in New Orleans. The excitement on the presentation floor was absolutely palpable. We are living through a massive shift in obesity medicine. We are moving away from simply trying to lower…
Less than a year ago, my co-author Nancy Kushner, MSN, RN, and I celebrated the publication of our book, Patient-Centered Weight Management: The Six Factor Professional Program and Toolkit, published by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Three years in the making, this passion project was designed to empower clinicians with innovative, actionable strategies to…
Throughout my 40+ years as an obesity medicine physician, I’ve been fortunate to remain involved with multiple obesity care stakeholders. I am also pleased to see the collective initiatives occurring to improve the care of people living with overweight and obesity. The future of obesity care is shifting. My hope is that clinicians and the…
In my 40+ years as an obesity medicine physician specialist, my entire counseling philosophy and weight management program approach have been rooted in behavior change research related to diet, physical activity, sleep, stress and body image. Obesity medication and bariatric surgery were prescribed as an adjunct to lifestyle counseling. This traditional paradigm is now being…
Most people don’t like taking medications – especially longterm. In fact, medication fatigue where individuals stop taking a new medication, like a statin or blood pressure pill, is commonplace. But the number of individuals stopping GLP-1 medications is especially concerning as studies show that over 50% of GLP-1 users discontinue the medication by 1 year…
I recently had the exciting opportunity to educate gynecologists and fertility specialists throughout India on the role of semaglutide in women’s reproductive health. This allowed me to take a deep dive into the research and medical data answering the question: can obesity treatments improve women’s health outcomes and fertility rates? The answer is a resounding…
As the field of obesity medicine matures, clinicians and patients are asking: “What is the treatment target?” achievement of a targeted percentage weight loss? improved body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference? better function and quality of life? remission of weight-related complications? ability to taper or discontinue medications for other chronic disease treatments? or –…
The effects of game-changing GLP-1 medications on individuals and society was the topic of my recent keynote address at the Northwestern University Alumni Association event in Naples, Florida. Individuals on GLP-1 medications are changing how they eat, shop, live, play and get their healthcare and companies are taking notice. We usually think of big tech…
With the advent of powerful obesity medications that address the biological basis of obesity, the field of obesity care is rapidly shifting. To reflect this, the first Standards of Care on pharmacologic treatment of obesity published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) were just released. I had the honor of serving on the ADA Professional…
