Obesity Special Interest Group

Mission and Goals

Mission: Promote the health and well-being of youth who are overweight or obese and their families by fostering the provision of evidence-based assessment and treatment methods utilizing the principles of psychology.

Purpose: Provide a forum for communication and collaboration in both clinical and research realms, in order to further the field’s knowledge of developmental and contextual factors contributing to the etiology of obesity, course and outcome of pediatric obesity, assessment and treatment of behavioral and emotional comorbidities, and obesity prevention initiatives.

Aim: Provide education, training and mentoring of psychologists in the care of youth with overweight or obesity and advocacy for public policy.

Leadership

Executive Committee 2023-2025
Chair: Eileen A. Chaves, Ph.D.
Chair-Elect: Sanita Ley, Ph.D.
Secretary: Carolina Bejarano, Ph.D.
Student/Trainee Member at Large (interim): Miranda Frank
Past Chair: Jason E. Boye, PhD, ABPP

Subcommittee Chairs:
Advocacy Student Chair: Open
Advocacy Faculty Chair : Kimberly Reynolds, Ph.D., ABPP
Communications Student Chair: Madeline Mcclinchie
Communications Faculty Chair: Open
Technology and Website Development: Jason Boye, Ph.D., ABPP
SPPAC Planning:
Research: Cathy Stough, Ph.D. and Katie Garr
Stroll with a Mentor: Miranda Frank

Additional Information

History: Founding chair—Wendy L. Ward, PhD ABPP and founding vice chair—Ann M. Davis, PhD, MPH, ABPP.

2007 SIG began as an unofficial interest group
2009 SIG began meeting at Division 54 Regional conference
2010 Became an official SIG of Division 54
2012 SIG had its first elections for terms starting in 2013

For additional information and resources related to the SIG, please visit our SIG website and follow us on X @SPP_Obesity_SIG.

Join

SPP invites members with a shared interest to consider joining one or more Special Interest Groups (SIGs) by logging into the Member Portal and going to "Join a SIG/RIG/Affinity Group" on the dropbox.