Weight Loss Surgery and Diet Drugs – The Research and the Reality Workshop (Ragen Chastain)

More and more, healthcare practitioners are pushing their fat patients to try weight loss drugs and/or weight loss (bariatric) surgery. But is this really healthcare, or just medical weight stigma and diet culture in a more dangerous (and expensive) form? In this workshop we’ll dive into the research around these “healthcare interventions” to look at the data (and expose the lack thereof) around efficacy and risks.

Topics Include:

• Breakdown of the research around common weight loss drugs, including Wegovy
• Breakdown of the research around bariatric surgery, including as a “treatment” for health issues
• Who and what is behind the research
• What led to the widespread use of these risky interventions
• What does true informed consent for these interventions include
• How to navigate discussions about these interventions with your family, friends, and healthcare provider