OAC and ABOM Foundation Release “Commit to Care” Promise to Strengthen Patient–Clinician Partnership in Obesity Care
As part of Obesity Care Week and World Obesity Day 2026, the ABOM Foundation in collaboration with the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) have released Commit to Care: A Patient and Health Care Professional Promise, a new resource designed to strengthen communication, trust and shared decision-making between patients and health care professionals in obesity care. The initiative was jointly developed by the OAC and the ABOM Foundation. The document outlines mutual expectations to support compassionate, science-based treatment and recognizes obesity as a chronic disease requiring ongoing, collaborative care.
This resource outlines a shared commitment between patients and health care professionals. From the patient perspective, it affirms expectations for respectful treatment, individualized care and access to appropriate treatment options. From the health care professional perspective, it reinforces the importance of listening without assumptions, using evidence-based standards of care and discussing the full range of treatment approaches, including lifestyle therapy, medications, procedures and surgery.
OAC and the ABOM Foundation encourage patients, clinicians and advocates to review and share the resource as part of broader efforts to improve access to compassionate, evidence-based obesity care nationwide.