An Update on the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM): 2017-2024

This study aimed to describe the characteristics of American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) physician diplomates over the last 8 years (2017-2024).

Using the ABOM database, we conducted a cross-sectional study of physicians who achieved initial ABOM certification between 2017 and 2024. Characteristics included demographics, primary medical specialty, years of obesity medicine experience, patient population, and practice setting. We conducted descriptive analyses and compared current characteristics with estimates extracted from the published ABOM 5-year report (2012-2016).

Overall, 8640 physicians achieved initial ABOM certification between 2017 and 2024; 2068 achieved certification between 2012 and 2016. Between the 2012-2016 and 2017-2024 groups, notable differences were increases in physicians under age 40 years (22.7% vs. 47.6%, respectively), women (52.8% vs. 64.0%, respectively), and practicing obesity medicine for less than 2 years at initial certification (40.2% vs. 68.3%, respectively). The most common primary medical specialties were internal medicine (32.4%), family medicine (29.2%), and internal medicine subspecialties (14.2%).

We found that recent ABOM diplomates are likely entering the field earlier in their careers and with fewer years of obesity medicine experience than the initial group. Future investigation is needed to understand how ABOM and other obesity organizations can best support these physicians in their transition to obesity medicine clinical practice.