Courses

Beyond GLP-1s: Comprehensive Obesity Care to Promote Healthy Aging

How can adults using GLP-1 medications support healthy aging beyond weight loss?

Moderator: Kristi Mitchell, MPH

Presenters: Robert Kushner, MD, MS; Mary Lou Perry, MS, RDN, CDCES; Renee J Rogers, PhD, FACSM

Program Date: 12 November 2025

Publication Date: 16 June 2026

Continuing Education Credits: Nurse Contact 1.0 CE; Dietitian 1.0 CPEU

Course Description:

When addressing a central challenge in modern obesity treatment, weight loss alone does not define successful care for older adults. As GLP-1-based therapies become more widely used among adults aged 60 years and older, this ANHI course highlights the importance of supporting physical function, muscle health, and quality of life alongside pharmacologic weight reduction. 

Current evidence and expert perspectives show that weight loss in older adults may be accompanied by loss of lean tissue, reduced strength, nutrient inadequacy, and functional decline if supportive strategies are not intentionally addressed. Rather than focusing solely on the number on the scale, the course emphasizes outcomes that matter for healthy aging, including mobility, independence, and daily function.

Key themes include the importance of nutrition quality and adequate protein intake, physical activity strategies that prioritize strength and balance, and the role of multidisciplinary, age-friendly care models. Comprehensive obesity management for older adults requires aligning treatment decisions with individual goals, comorbidities, and functional status. By shifting the focus beyond weight loss alone, this framework supports safe, sustainable obesity care that supports healthy aging, physical function, and quality of life in adults using GLP-1-based therapies. This program was originally presented as a live webinar on 12 November 2025.

Course Objectives:
  • Describe key components of a comprehensive obesity management model for older adults using GLP-1 based therapies, with emphasis on healthy aging and functional outcomes.
  • Discuss the unique nutritional and health considerations for adults aged 60 years and older using obesity medications, including muscle health, protein intake, and nutrient adequacy.
  • Identify potential risks associated with weight loss in older adults using GLP-1 therapies, such as loss of lean tissue, reduced strength, and functional decline.
  • Explain the role of lifestyle behaviors, including physical activity and team-based care, in supporting physical function, mobility, and quality of life in aging adults with obesity.
Key Takeaways:
  • In older adults, weight loss achieved with GLP-1-based therapies may increase the risk of reduced muscle strength and physical function if care is not intentionally structured.
  • Prioritizing nutrition quality and adequate protein distribution is essential to support healthy aging during obesity treatment, not just calorie reduction.
  • How individuals feel, move, and function provide a more meaningful measure of success than weight loss alone in older adults using GLP-1s.

Performance Indicators: 9.1.2, 9.1.5, 11.4.3

Activity Code: 193286

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Related Questions:
  • How do GLP-1 medications affect aging in older adults?
    Weight loss achieved with GLP-1-based therapies may be accompanied by loss of lean tissue, reduced muscle strength, and changes in physical function if supportive strategies are not intentionally addressed. Aging-related factors such as multimorbidity, nutritional intake, and baseline functional status can influence outcomes, making age-friendly, comprehensive obesity care essential.
  • Why is muscle health important for older adults using GLP-1s?
    Weight loss can include reductions in lean tissue, which may affect strength, mobility, and independence in older adults. Preserving muscle quality and physical function is critical to reducing the risk of frailty, falls, and functional decline during obesity treatment.
  • What nutrition strategies support healthy aging while using GLP-1 medications?
    Reduced appetite and lower overall intake may increase the risk of inadequate protein and micronutrient consumption. Emphasizing high-quality nutrition, sufficient protein intake, and an appropriate distribution of nutrients throughout the day helps support muscle health, energy levels, and daily function.
  • What does comprehensive obesity care mean beyond GLP-1s?
    Comprehensive obesity care extends beyond medication use to include nutrition support, physical activity, functional assessment, and team-based care. Aligning treatment strategies with individual goals, comorbidities, and quality of life considerations supports long-term health, independence, and healthy aging.
  • What lifestyle habits are most important for older adults using GLP-1s?
    Key lifestyle considerations include maintaining adequate protein intake, prioritizing overall nutrition quality, and engaging in physical activity that supports strength, balance, and functional movement. These habits play an essential role in preserving muscle health and daily function alongside pharmacological obesity treatment.

 

Course Instructor Bio(s):

Kristi Mitchell, MPH

CEO & Founder
Atlas Clarity LLC
Vienna, VA, USA

Kristi Mitchell is a health services researcher who leads efforts to enable next generation health care delivery through innovation, value, and consumer engagement across multiple industries, including pharmaceutical/device companies, digital health, government agencies, and community-based organizations. After 11 years, she stepped down as Practice Director, Center for Healthcare Transformation at Avalere Health, a DC-based advisory services firm to launch, Health Equity Outcomes, a nonprofit to empower underserved communities to engage in the research enterprise to reduce racial disparities and advance health equity. Through these efforts, she is dedicated to elevating the role of community-based participatory research as a mechanism to derive real world data that is community-centric. At the same time, she also serves as Founder and Principal at ATLAS CLARITY, LLC an advisory services firm dedicated to improving the health and well-being of populations through patient engagement, strategic partnerships, and innovative data collection. 

Kristi is also recognized as a nationally recognized expert in the design and implementation of patient-powered data collection efforts. She currently sits on the MDEpiNet Executive Operations Committee and serves as chair of the National Kidney Foundation KidneyCARE Study Data Use and Publication Committee. Kristi is a member of Women’s Business Leaders in Healthcare, as well as a Founding Member of CHIEF-DC, a private network to support and connect women executives. A graduate of Brown University (’92) with a A.B. in human biology and public policy, she earned her Masters of Public Health in Epidemiology and Public Health Policy and Administration from the University of Michigan School of Public Health (’94).

 

Robert Kushner, MD, MS

Professor of Medicine and Medical Education
Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Chicago, IL, USA

Dr Robert Kushner is a Professor Emeritus at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and a former Director of the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, which he led for 16 years. Dr Kushner is past President of The Obesity Society (TOS), past President of the American Society for Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ASPEN), and a founder and first Chair of the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) that certifies physicians in the care of patients with obesity. He is the author (or editor) of over 300 original and review articles, books, and book chapters on obesity, lifestyle medicine, medical education, and nutrition. His newest book for clinicians, Patient-Centered Weight Management: The Six-Factor Professional Program and Toolkit, was just published in August.

Mary Lou Perry, MS, RD, CDCES

Clinical Specialist 
University of Virgina Health System 
Charlottesville, VA, USA

Mary Lou Perry is a registered dietitian/nutritionist and certified diabetes care and education specialist with over 35 years of experience in the obesity/chronic disease space. She currently works at UVA Health within the Heart and Vascular Center as a dietitian supporting patients through their lifestyle change journey. Mary Lou has participated in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 3-part webinar series on GLP-1 RAs, recently completed a book chapter on Weight Management and Diabetes in the Nutrition and Diabetes Handbook (published by ADA), and has presented on weight management at regional and National Meetings. She strongly supports medicine-assisted weight loss and advocates for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive approach to weight management. Her counseling style combines motivational interviewing, coaching, and appreciative inquiry.

Renee J Rogers, PhD, FACSM

Senior Scientist
University of Kansas Medical Center
Kansas City, KS, USA

Dr Renee Rogers is a senior scientist and translational researcher at the University of Kansas Medical Center. She's an expert in developing biobehavioral healthy lifestyle interventions for obesity treatment, with a special focus on physical activity and strategies to promote long-term success. She has worked in obesity and physical activity research and programming for 20+ years, holding many professional roles, including instructor, practitioner, program director, researcher, designer, and consultant and strategist for large corporations. She blends her background in theater and production with her formal academic training in Exercise Physiology, Body Composition and Quality, Bio-Behavior Interaction, and Comprehensive Care to develop and implement innovative initiatives that encourage well-being, healthy lifestyle engagement, and person-centered approaches. Her current work focuses on body composition, tissue quality and function, and comprehensive lifestyle factors related to contemporary obesity treatments and pharmacotherapy.

Highlighted References:
  • Obesity Medicine Association; Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics; Atlas Clarity LLC. Obesity and nutrition management in the context of GLP 1: proceedings from the stakeholders’ dialogue. Published 2024. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://atlasclarity.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/ObesityDialogue_MeetingProceedings_Final.pdf 
  • Prokopidis K, et al. Active aging, muscle health, and obesity in older adults. J Nutr Health Aging. 2025;29(10):100652. 
  • Grega ML, et al. Lifestyle medicine approaches for optimal outcomes in obesity management. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2023;18(2):269-293.
Category
CE CPEU Older Adult Disease State

Abbott Nutrition’s Provider Statement for Nursing CEs:

Abbott Nutrition Health Institute is an approved provider of continuing nursing education by the California Board of Registered Nursing Provider #CEP 11213.

Abbott Nutrition’s Statement for Dietitian CPEUs:

This educational activity has been prior-approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR). CDR credentialed practitioners will receive the specified continuing professional education units (CPEUs) for completion of this program/material.