Reflections from YWM2025: Advocacy, Education, and the Power of Community

What an unforgettable experience at the Obesity Action Coalition’s YWM2025 Convention! This year’s event in Washington, D.C., was more than a conference—it was a celebration of 20 years of impact, education, and advocacy, and seca was honored to be part of it.

From Capitol Hill to the convention floor, this weekend was filled with powerful moments that reinforced why we do this work.

Turning Advocacy Into Action

Before the main event even began, we joined passionate advocates on OAC’s Hill Day—meeting with legislators from North and South Carolina to urge support for the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (TROA). We had the privilege of guiding first-time advocates as they shared personal stories, highlighted coverage gaps, and helped legislators understand why access to comprehensive obesity care matters. For many, it was a life-changing introduction to advocacy—and a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we use our voices for change.

Education That Inspires Change

Throughout the convention, we saw the impact of education done right. Dr. Robert Kushner reminded us that obesity is not simply a number on the scale, but a complex, chronic condition—requiring better tools to understand and diagnose excess body fat, including direct measures like body composition.

We also had the chance to connect with many of our loyal seca users and champions! Drs. Leslie Golden and Michael Glickman, both leading comprehensive obesity medicine practices, shared how they use body composition in real-world care—including insights into outcomes, reimbursement, and patient communication.  

We were thrilled to see Dr. Angela Fitch—a leader in obesity medicine—comment on the positive, inclusive culture at the meeting and how it represents the future of care.

And Summer the Dietitian (Summer Kessel, RD, CSOWM) got on the seca scale herself, sharing her body composition results with her community and modeling what openness, curiosity, and education look like in action.

Conversations That Move Us Forward

We were moved by the honesty and vulnerability shared in sessions focused on mental health, body image, and bias. Talks like Dr. Robyn Pashby’s, which explored “what weighs you down” beyond the number on the scale, reminded us that body composition is only part of the story. Creating inclusive, supportive care requires listening to the whole person.

Hearing teens speak about finally feeling safe, heard, and seen in a space like YWM was another powerful reminder of the importance of this work—and how far we’ve come.

seca + OAC Resources to Help You Understand Health Beyond the Scale

OAC Health Talk: Beyond BMI

An expert-led video conversation with Dr. Angela Fitch and Dr. Nina Crowley exploring why BMI is limited and how to use body composition metrics for more personalized care.

OAC Magazine Feature: All About Body Composition

A deep dive article by Dr. Nina Crowley explaining fat, muscle, and water analysis—plus how to understand your results and measurement methods like DEXA, BOD POD, and BIA.

Ask Your Provider for Body Composition Analysis

A step-by-step tool at secambca.com that helps patients request more comprehensive health assessments beyond weight and BMI.

Metabolic Health Results Guide

A quick-reference tool to interpret key metrics like Fat Mass %, Visceral Fat, and Skeletal Muscle Mass—designed to support better care and treatment decisions during weight management.

Looking Ahead

YWM2025 may be over, but the momentum is just beginning. We’re taking home renewed energy to keep building partnerships that advance education, reduce bias, and improve access to meaningful tools like body composition analysis.

At seca, we remain committed to supporting providers and patients in this journey—through training, resources, and technology that look beyond weight to focus on health.

Thanks to the OAC for creating this space—and to every attendee, speaker, and advocate who reminded us why this work matters.

Here’s to the next 20 years of impact.