Weight Management in Psychiatric Patients

Gain Practical Strategies to Reduce Metabolic Risk in Psychiatric Patients

Suitable for Psychiatrists, Primary Care Physicians, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Psychologists, and Other Mental Health Clinicians

Weight Management in Psychiatric Patients

Obesity and metabolic disease remain among the leading causes of reduced life expectancy in patients with serious mental illness, yet many clinicians report limited training or uncertainty around effective intervention. Weight gain is often recognized late, monitoring is inconsistent, and treatment options are underutilized despite clear guidelines and growing evidence.

This course bridges that gap by translating current research and guidelines into practical clinical decision-making. You’ll gain a structured approach to identifying metabolic risk early, intervening appropriately, and coordinating care across disciplines — all within the realities of psychiatric practice.

Suitable for Psychiatrists, Primary Care Physicians, Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants, Psychologists, and Other Mental Health Clinicians

COURSE LECTURES

Confident Metabolic Monitoring in Psychiatric Care
Smarter Medication Decisions Without Compromising Stability
Practical Weight Management Tools You Can Use Immediately
Clear Guidance for Complex and Special Populations

COURSE FEATURES

Clinical Application for Tough Cases
4 hours of practical presentations
4 AMA PRA Category 1 CME Credits™ included
Optional self-assessment quiz to earn additional 4 CME credits

Weight Management in Psychiatric Patients

$297 $197

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Agenda: Weight Management in Psychiatric Patients

with Dana S. Hardin, MD

Obesity and Metabolic Vulnerability in Psychiatric Disorders – You’ll Learn …

Why patients with mental illness face amplified metabolic risk, and where traditional screening misses the mark
The early warning markers that predict long-term metabolic fallout before weight gain becomes obvious
The biologic links between psychiatric illness, inflammation, insulin resistance, and central adiposity
How psychotropics alter appetite signaling, energy balance, and cardiometabolic trajectories over time

Clinical Approaches to Managing Weight Gain in the Psychiatric Setting – You’ll Learn …

A practical framework for monitoring weight and metabolic risk without destabilizing psychiatric care
When switching medications truly helps — and when it creates more harm than benefit
Evidence-based strategies for mitigating antipsychotic-associated weight gain
How to have effective, stigma-sensitive conversations about weight that preserve alliance and adherence

Deeper Dive into the Treatment of Obesity – You’ll Learn …

The modern obesity pharmacotherapy landscape — GLP-1s, dual agonists, and beyond
How to choose the right anti-obesity medication in patients with mood, anxiety, or psychotic disorders
The metabolic trade-offs that matter most when layering obesity treatment onto psychiatric regimens
When behavioral interventions are enough, and when pharmacologic escalation is warranted

Weight Management in Special Populations – You’ll Learn …

How weight management strategies shift in adolescents, older adults, and medically complex patients
Obesity treatment considerations in patients with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and severe depression
The unique metabolic risks facing women across reproductive transitions
Coordinating care with primary care and endocrinology without fragmenting psychiatric treatment

FAQS

Q: Who is this course designed for?

A: This course is designed for psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians who care for patients with overweight, obesity, or metabolic risk. It is particularly relevant for clinicians managing weight gain related to psychotropic medications or balancing psychiatric stability with cardiometabolic health concerns. The content assumes clinical experience and focuses on real-world decision-making rather than introductory concepts.

Q: Does this course focus on psychiatric patients specifically, or general obesity treatment?

A: The course is specifically focused on weight management in psychiatric populations. It addresses the unique biological, behavioral, and medication-related factors that contribute to weight gain and metabolic risk in patients with mental illness. General obesity treatment principles are discussed only as they apply to psychiatric care and psychopharmacologic decision-making.

Q: How practical is the content for everyday clinical practice?

A: The course emphasizes practical, clinically applicable guidance. Topics include how to assess metabolic risk in routine psychiatric care, interpret screening results, weigh treatment tradeoffs, and select appropriate interventions based on individual patient profiles. Recommendations are framed within the realities of outpatient psychiatric practice, including time constraints, adherence challenges, and competing treatment priorities.

Q: Which weight management medications are discussed?

A: The course reviews evidence-based pharmacologic options for weight management, including commonly used anti-obesity medication classes and their role in psychiatric patients. Content addresses indications, expected benefits, limitations, and clinical considerations when using these agents alongside psychotropic medications, including off-label use where appropriate.

Q: Does this course address managing metabolic risk when psychiatric treatment priorities compete?

A: Yes. A core focus of the course is navigating situations where psychiatric symptom control and metabolic health appear to be in tension. The course provides frameworks for evaluating treatment options through both psychiatric and metabolic lenses, supporting informed, patient-centered decision-making when goals compete or require compromise.

Q: Can I earn CME and ABPN Self-Assessment (SA) credit with this course?

A: This course is available in two formats: a CME-only version and a CME + ABPN Self-Assessment (SA) version. Participants may claim CME credit for only one version of the course. If you require ABPN SA credit, you must enroll in the CME + SA option at the time of registration.

Both versions include the same educational content; the difference lies solely in eligibility for ABPN SA credit and the associated assessment requirements. Full credit details and claiming instructions are provided within the course.

Q: What if this course isn’t what I expected?

A: We stand behind the quality and relevance of this course. If you feel the content does not meet your expectations, you may request a refund in accordance with our satisfaction guarantee. Our goal is to provide clinically valuable education that supports your practice.

FEATURED EDITOR

Dana S. Hardin, MD

Board Certified
Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
Adolescent Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN)
Endocrinology, American Board of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism

Clinical Faculty
Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, Athens, OH

Dana Sue Hardin, MD is a uniquely cross-trained physician with board certifications in psychiatry, adolescent psychiatry, and endocrinology, bringing an integrated, systems-based perspective to complex medical and psychiatric conditions. Her clinical and research expertise spans neuropsychiatry, metabolic and endocrine disorders, adolescent health, and neuromodulation, with a career that bridges pediatrics, psychiatry, and internal medicine subspecialties. and treatment of obesity and related illnesses.

CME ACCREDITATION

Accreditation Statement:

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint sponsorship of PeerPoint Medical Education Institute and American Physician Institute for Advanced Professional Studies, LLC. PeerPoint Medical Education Institute is accredited by the ACCME to sponsor continuing medical education for physicians.

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology has reviewed Weight Management in Psychiatric Patients and has approved this program as a part of a comprehensive Self-Assessment Program, which is mandated by the ABMS as a necessary component of Maintenance of Certification.

Designation Statement:
Online Course, Release Date March 1, 2025, Termination Date February 29, 2028:
PeerPoint Medical Education Institute designates the live and enduring formats for this educational activity for a maximum of 8 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Of these 8 credits: 4 also qualify as ABPN Self Assessment credits.

Nurses & Nurse Practitioners: For all your CE requirements for recertification, the ANCC will accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Physician Assistants: The NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ from organizations accredited by the ACCME.

Licensed Psychologists: Most state boards will accept AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ toward professional development hours. Please confirm with your state board before using this product for professional development hours.

Learn to Support and Empower Your Patients with Appropriate Weight Loss Treatment

Patients with psychiatric disorders face markedly higher rates of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and cardiometabolic disease. This course explores the biological, behavioral, and medication-related factors that drive metabolic vulnerability in psychiatric populations, giving clinicians a clear framework for understanding why weight gain is so prevalent and where meaningful intervention is possible.

Why Do Psychiatric Patients Gain Weight So Easily?

Obesity in psychiatric patients is rarely caused by a single factor. This course breaks down the interconnected drivers, including illness-related physiology, psychotropic medications, lifestyle constraints, and social determinants of health, so you can see how these forces combine and why metabolic risk is often underrecognized in routine psychiatric care.

Are You Monitoring Metabolic Risk Early Enough?

Effective weight management starts with timely detection. Participants learn evidence-based strategies for monitoring weight and metabolic health in psychiatric settings, including recommended screening intervals, interpretation of metabolic data, and practical ways to integrate monitoring into everyday clinical workflows without adding unnecessary burden.

Can You Treat Psychiatric Illness Without Worsening Metabolic Health?

Balancing psychiatric symptom control with metabolic safety is one of the most common—and most difficult—clinical challenges. This course examines how to evaluate psychiatric medications through both efficacy and metabolic lenses, supporting more confident decision-making when treatment priorities compete.

What Actually Works When Weight Gain Has Already Started?

When weight gain occurs, clinicians need options that are realistic, evidence-based, and patient-centered. This course reviews lifestyle, behavioral, pharmacologic, and referral-based interventions used in psychiatric populations, helping learners differentiate which approaches are appropriate, effective, and sustainable for different patients.