Why We Withdrew From the ADA Webinar, and Why Peer & Lived Experience Must Be Central to Obesity Care

📱 Send Us a Text Message! We’d love to hear from you! Please include your name and email address so we can reply. Don’t worry — this won’t sign you up for our email list. We’ll only use your info to respond to your question. Dr. Komal Patil-Sisodia, obesity advocate Michael Donnelly-Boylen, and Dr. Matthea Rentea explain why they withdrew from a planned ADA-hosted webinar in support of a broader boycott, after an ADA Scientific Sessions keynote by a MAHA representative and the removal of peacefully protesting scientists were followed by an organizational response the three of them found unsatisfying. They still share the content they had planned to present: integrating peer and lived experience into obesity care, to address a trust gap driven by weight stigma, shaming language, and oversimplified messaging that can delay or derail care, including preventive screening and procedures. They talk through curiosity, person-first language, motivational interviewing, and acknowledging medical trauma, along with practical solutions such as moderated peer support groups, credible online resources, and comprehensive programs that combine lifestyle foundations, medications, bariatric pathways, and clinic infrastructure shaped by patient input. Timestamps 00:00  Why This Episode Changed 00:47  ADA Boycott Context 02:15  Meet The Panel 03:26  Inside The Keynote Fallout 06:41  Protest And Conference Mood 10:01  Choosing To Withdraw 11:18  Webinar Topic And Roadmap 13:47  Trust Gap And Weight Stigma 18:37  Language That Builds Safety 23:23  Peer Support And Community 25:09  Social Media And Group Coaching 27:19  Why I Started Posting 28:43  Building a Comprehensive Program 30:32  Three Pathways of Care 33:32  Designing for Real Bodies 35:54  Practical Clinician Changes 37:48  Mountain Dew Lesson 41:30  Trauma and Safe Spaces 42:25  Peer Support Communities 44:20  Insurance and Advocacy 46:27  Fighting Wellness Misinformation 47:55  How to Build Support Groups 50:53  Wrap Up and Where to Find Us Connect Dr. Komal Patil-Sisodia: Instagram and TikTok @drpatilsisodia. Podcast: Clearly Hormonal. Dr. Matthea Rentea: Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Podcast: The Obesity Guide with Matthea Rentea, MD, at renteaclinic.com. Michael Donnelly-Boylen: Instagram and TikTok as Mike On A Mission. Podcast: Weight and Measure with Mike and Zach, at weightandmeasurepod.com. Thanks for listening. Find more info about Clearly Hormonal on the website or Instagram.