Welcome to the Living with Overweight or Obesity Advisory Group
Who we are
The Living with Overweight or Obesity Advisory Group (LOOAG) was established in September 2021 in response to the exponential growth of overweight and obesity amongst children and adults in Ireland.
What we do.
Our aim is to
- Share, improve and develop knowledge amongst Occupational Therapist clinicians working in children and adults living with overweight or obesity.
- To encourage, promote, facilitate and support the advancement of Occupational Therapy practice in different clinical settings - acute, mental health, community, private practice, and universities.
LOOAG aims to meet quarterly and liaise frequently over email. As the advisory group grows we will also have various representatives from around the country who we consult on relevant projects, issues or concerns.
1st year Objectives
- Represent the OT profession on the National Clinical Programme for Obesity.
- Advocate for Occupational Therapy on national issues which affect the profession
- Be proactive and take responsibility for intelligence gathering, strategic thinking and influencing policy development in the area of overweight and obesity
- Highlight areas of new development or concerns regarding occupational therapy practice matters to the AOTI Management Team.
- Provide continuing professional development opportunities in the form of periodic study days. Topics aim to reflect member suggestions as far as possible.
Benefits of being a member
- Share and build your knowledge re: OT resources, research and processes specific to overweight and obesity eg. Equipment (seating: wheelchairs, safe working loads), assessment tools in use, clinical interventions and other processes,
- Share and gather evidence to support the development and implementation of Occupational Therapy practice in weight management services for the older adult, the adult, the adolescent and the child in Ireland
- Assist defining the specific services required across the spectrum of care for the efficient, safe and effective management of obesity and overweight in children and adults, young people and older across the life course incorporating prevention, early identification and treatment to prevent progression of the disease and complications
- Receive peer support from Occupational Therapists working with service users living with overweight and obesity
- Support for new posts developed in weight management services across the country
- Build evidence based practice and clinical opinion from Occupational Therapist nationally.
