Exam Room Nutrition: Where Busy Clinicians Learn About Nutrition
As a clinician, your patients are asking:
“What should I eat for diabetes?” “How do I lose weight?” “My child is so picky. What do I do?” But here’s the problem—you probably didn’t learn much about nutrition in school. The National Academy of Sciences recommends 25 hours of nutrition education for med students. Most of us? We got maybe 5.
Enter Exam Room Nutrition. Hosted by Colleen Sloan, a PA and RD with over a decade of experience, this podcast gives you clear, actionable strategies to tackle those tough nutrition questions with confidence—even when you’re pressed for time. From picky eaters to diabetes management, I’ll renew how you approach nutrition.
Exam Room Nutrition: Where Busy Clinicians Learn About Nutrition
144 | Pediatric Obesity Care: Protecting Kids in a Body-Obsessed Culture
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Discuss Pediatric Weight Gain Without Triggering Shame
What would you say if a parent asked, “Can you tell my son he needs to lose weight?”
That question sits at the center of one of the hardest conversations in pediatrics.
In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Amy Beck, clinical psychologist and expert in teen mental health and weight stigma, to unpack how we address pediatric obesity without causing unintended harm.
Because this isn’t just about weight. It’s about protecting kids in a culture obsessed with body size, while still doing our job as clinicians.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Common clinician missteps that unintentionally trigger shame
- Why focusing on numbers (weight, BMI, carbs) can backfire
- How to talk to a 5-year-old vs. a teenager
- What to say when teens give one-word answers
- How to navigate wo very different clinical scenarios:
- A teen in a larger body with normal labs but poor body image
- Rapid weight gain with elevated sugars, where intervention feels urgent
Working with teens is tough. Getting them to engage can feel even tougher.
Dr. Beck shares practical language, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you intervene medically without triggering restriction, shutdown, or long-term harm.
This episode is about striking the balance: preventing long-term medical complications while protecting a child’s mental health in the process.
Any Questions? Send Me a Message
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Disclaimer: This podcast is a collection of ideas, strategies, and opinions of the author(s). Its goal is to provide useful information on each of the topics shared within. It is not intended to provide medical, health, or professional consultation or to diagnosis-specific weight or feeding challenges. The author(s) advises the reader to always consult with appropriate health, medical, and professional consultants for support for individual children and family situations. The author(s) do not take responsibility for the personal or other risks, loss, or liability incurred as a direct or indirect consequence of the application or use of information provided. All opinions stated in this podcast are my own and do not reflect the opinions of my employer.
