2021-04-21 OMA Agenda - Board of Trustees

regarding journal start-up in that its current Adult and Pediatric Obesity Algorithms already are of high-level content and have undergone peer review and edits over several years. While the relative OMA Obesity Algorithm eBooks should continue, it is unreasonable and self-defeating to extract and transform the current OMA Obesity Algorithms into review articles AND keep the online Obesity Algorithm slide postings as well. That represents too much work and resources. The most reasonable path forward is that once OMA commits to JOMA, then the Obesity Algorithms will cease to exist, and their content is best transformed into peer review, PubMed searchable journal articles. Transformation of OMA Obesity Algorithm content to high level review articles has a likelihood these published articles will be highly cited, leading to earlier PubMed searchability, improved impact factor, and enhanced potential for advertisement to help fund future publications. Recommendation #7. Transcribing the Adult and Pediatric Obesity Algorithms into JOMA journal articles should be via an OMA funded medical writing team or a dedicated medical writer. Rationale: Current updates to the OMA Obesity Algorithm have evolved into a massive time and resource commitment of Obesity Algorithm writers and committee members. It is unlikely OMA Obesity Algorithm members have the time resources to transcribe and transform the existing Obesity Algorithm content into JOMA article format, review the articles, update the references, and then respond to reviewer comments. Thus, this transformational process will require hiring a medical writing team. Recommendation #8. Elsevier is an acceptable publisher. Rationale: Examples of top online and print publishers include Elsevier, Wiley, Springer, and Taylor & Francis. The OMA staff has already had several substantive conversations with Elsevier. Working with most any publisher can present challenges. Elsevier is no different. Nonetheless, Elsevier is an established journal. Its practices and terms are comparable to other high-end publishers. Regarding other obesity societies, The Obesity Society (TOS) journal “Obesity” is published by Wiley. TOS also collaborates with the World Obesity Federation regarding the journal “Obesity Science and Practice” which is also sponsored by Wiley. Recommendation #9. While JOMA may eventually generate income to OMA, the value of JOMA should be viewed as beyond its potential to generate income. If and/or when JOMA generates income to OMA, 50 – 100% of this generated income should be used to fund OMA Algorithm updates, invited articles, roundtable discussions, and waiving of authorship fees.

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