The First Lipedema Standard of Care Consensus Committee

April 19, 2019 - The first United States (US) Standard of Care meeting for lipedema was held on April 11-12, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland in association with the Fat Disorders Resource Society 2019 conference. This effort was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). This landmark meeting was a multidisciplinary collaborative effort with 21-US-based members with expertise in lipedema. This meeting was the first step towards the development of a national guideline for the diagnosis and management of lipedema. This is an ongoing collaboration and more information will be forthcoming.

Lipedema is a subcutaneous fat disorder that causes disproportionate accumulation of fat on the arms and legs of women. Over time swelling, heaviness and pain occur in the affected areas. The exact prevalence is unknown but it may affect up to 10% of women. Lipedema is often confused with obesity, lymphedema, and cellulite, which are also very common. Although it is not a rare disease, lipedema is often not recognized or misdiagnosed by healthcare providers in the USA.

Fat Disorders Resource Society, FDRS, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all people affected by adipose tissue disorders by supporting research, education, advocacy, and collaboration.

Committee Members (in alphabetical order):
Polly Armour, John (Jerry) R. Bartholomew, Margarita Correa-Perez, Steven Dean, Paula M. Donahue, Chuck Ehrich, Tami Faris, LaDonna Gabrielson, Karen L. Herbst, Linda-Anne Kahn, Ethan Larson, Kathleen Lisson, Erik Lontok, Lindy McHutchison, Janis Miller, Nicolas Pennings, Jaime Schwartz, Michael Schwartz, Molly Sleigh, Edely Wallace, Thomas F. Wright.

To learn more about Lipedema or Fat Disorders Resource Society go to www.fatdisorders.org. To learn more about Lipedema go to www.lipedema.net