ACSM Obesity Care Exercise Specialist

About this course

800 million+ adults worldwide live with obesity. Of these, many have additional obesity-related chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, liver and cardiovascular complications. The direct and indirect costs associated with obesity treatment are significant--more than $173 billion dollars in medical expenditures in the US alone, with annual healthcare costs for adults living with obesity being two to four times higher than those for adults without obesity.

The ACSM Obesity Care Exercise Specialist certificate course has been carefully developed by leading obesity care researchers, practitioners and exercise experts to provide evidence-based education and strategies to help professionals like you improve lives.

The latest research on obesity treatment pathways, including obesity medications and metabolic bariatric procedures, has been incorporated into this course to prepare the exercise professional to provide meaningful and effective support to clients using pharmacotherapy or surgical interventions.

WHY THE ACSM OBESITY CARE EXERCISE SPECIALIST CERTIFICATE MATTERS:

For Exercise Professionals: Move Beyond Outdated Approaches and Into Real Obesity Care

This course equips exercise professionals with the knowledge and skills to work confidently and compassionately with individuals living with obesity.

Understand the full complexity of obesity: Move beyond “eat less, move more” to a science-based understanding of the biological, behavioral and environmental drivers of obesity as a chronic disease.

Deliver person-centered programming: Learn how to design physical activity plans that meet people where they are, focusing on function, well-being and sustainability rather than weight alone.

Stay within scope, while expanding impact: Gain clarity on your role within comprehensive obesity care and how to collaborate effectively with medical providers, dietitian and behavioral health professionals.

Build trust and long-term engagement: Apply strategies that reduce weight bias and stigma, enhance motivation and create positive movement experiences that people want to return to.

For Owners & Operators: Create Environments Where All Bodies Are Supported and All Staff Are Prepared

Facilities and organizations play a critical role in shaping the experience of people living with obesity. This cours

What you will learn

• Describe obesity as a complex, chronic, multifactorial disease involving biological, behavioral and environmental factors
• Identify biological contributors (e.g., neuroendocrine regulation, metabolic adaptation, medication effects) that influence weight regulation and exercise response
• Develop individualized exercise prescriptions that account for physiological complexity, environmental factors, behaviors beyond physical activity and client needs, preferences and goals, and chronic disease management
• Describe the role of the exercise professional within a multidisciplinary obesity care team and summarize the major evidence-based treatment pathways (behavioral, pharmacologic and surgical)
• Explain how obesity management medications and metabolic bariatric surgery influence physiology, body composition and individualized exercise prescription while remaining within scope of practice
• Describe appropriate referral, communication and collaboration strategies to support coordinated, team-based obesity care
• Define weight bias and stigma and explain their impact on physical health, mental health and participation in physical activity
• Identify person-centered, autonomy-supportive communication strategies, including asking permission before weight-related discussions and conducting assessments that prioritize privacy, dignity and inclusivity

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