We’re joined by Kristal Hartman who is a proud member of the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) and is honored to serve as the Chair of the OAC National Board of Directors. In this episode, we learn about her patient journey, including her bariatric surgery in August 2014, which she describes as the hardest and best decision she ever made for herself. She shares how she now fights for access to quality, compassionate, and affordable access to care for all people living with the chronic disease of obesity.

Among the highlights in this episode:

01:37: Kristal discusses how attending an advocacy day in Washington, D.C. helped her find a supportive community and significantly impacted her obesity management journey

03:40: Kristal and Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director of Community Outreach at GHLF, talk about the importance of community in managing chronic conditions. Kristal shares her struggles with obesity from her teens and the challenges she faced with weight management, including her experiences with polycystic ovarian syndrome, thyroid issues, and fertility problems, which compounded her obesity

07:48: Kristal shares her difficult decision to undergo bariatric surgery after trying various treatments for obesity and facing shaming from her primary care physician. Kristal highlights the transformative care she received from her obesity care team post-surgery and emphasizes the lifelong nature of managing the chronic disease of obesity

11:49: Zoe and Kristal discuss the need for compassionate health care, and the negative internalization of societal and medical bias against obesity

14:33: Kristal discusses the Obesity Bill of Rights, advocating for equal access to care and treatment for people living with obesity, and emphasizes the need to combat weight bias and discrimination

17:37: Kristal expands on her involvement in advocating on Capitol Hill for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA), which aims to provide comprehensive care and access to FDA-approved medications for obesity

22:01: Kristal discusses the impact of media on the perception of GLP-1 drugs and obesity treatment and emphasizes the need for comprehensive, science-backed care for obesity as a chronic disease

25:10: Kristal encourages listeners to get involved with OAC and advocate for fair and unbiased treatment of obesity at all levels, highlighting various ways individuals can contribute to the cause

For more information, visit www.obesityaction.org  

27:57: What our hosts learned from this episode

Contact Our Hosts

Steven Newmark, Director of Policy at GHLF: snewmark@ghlf.org

Zoe Rothblatt, Associate Director, Community Outreach at GHLF: zrothblatt@ghlf.org

A podcast episode produced by Ben Blanc, Manager of Programs & Special Projects at GHLF.

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