Is the Obesity Epidemic Leveling Off? Don’t be too Sure.
Recently, CDC epidemiologists published an article in the Journal of the American Medical Association to the effect that there was not a significant change over the past 12 years in the nation’s obesity rate of 35.5% for adult men and 35.8% for adult women.
STOP Obesity Alliance January E-Newsletter
Dear Reader,
Starting a new year gives us another chance to plan, look ahead and think optimistically about what the future holds for obesity in America. Reflecting on changes in 2011 and what’s in store for 2012, we see areas of great progress, but also areas where that progress is met with great challenges.
Click here to read more.
A Legislative Low-Down on Obesity and the States
Webinar Examined State Trends & Upcoming Issues on Obesity & Related Chronic Diseases
The STOP Obesity Alliance hosted a webinar on Tuesday, December 6, in which experts discussed state legislative activities related to obesity and weight-related chronic disease that could signal broader trends in the future. Topics included obesity surveillance and tracking efforts, food and beverage taxes, and efforts to restrict state employee benefits plan coverage. Click here to view the webinar.
16th and 17th U.S. Surgeons General Collaborate With Obesity Coalition To Discuss Obesity Within Health Reform - September 1st, 2009
Dr. Richard H. Carmona, Dr. David Satcher Join STOP Obesity Alliance to Convene Experts, Medical and Public Health Organizations to Ensure Epidemic is Addressed
WHAT: The Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance, a diverse group of consumer, provider, government, labor, business, health insurers and quality-of-care organizations, will convene an open discussion regarding how obesity should be addressed in forthcoming health care reform legislation. The Alliance will release a concise set of obesity-specific recommendations to help guide policymakers’ efforts to effectively address obesity, citing actionable solutions for improvement based on Alliance principles.
The Alliance will be joined by 17th U.S. Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, the Alliance’s Health and Wellness Chairperson, and 16th U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D.
WHO: Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, 17th Surgeon General of the United States (2002-2006), will address the critical importance of formally addressing obesity during health reform, and the opportunity to reduce the long-term burdens of chronic disease during health reform. Dr. Carmona is vice chairman of Canyon Ranch, president of the non-profit Canyon Ranch Institute, Health and Wellness Chairperson for the STOP Obesity Alliance
David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., 16th Surgeon General of the United States (1998-2002), Director of the Satcher Health Leadership Institute and Center of Excellence on Health Disparities and Poussaint-Satcher-Cosby Chair in Mental Health at Morehouse School of Medicine, will discuss the prevention and treatment of obesity, and the importance of a broad collaboration among government, consumers, medical professionals and others to truly affect this change. Dr. Satcher released the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity in 2001.
Christine Ferguson, J.D., P.I., Director of the STOP Obesity Alliance and associate research professor at The George Washington University’s Department of Health Policy will announce the guiding principles created by consensus from the STOP Obesity Alliance on the management and treatment of obesity.
Leading experts on obesity, public health and medicine will provide an in-depth analysis of each of the STOP Obesity Alliance’s recommendations in the areas of clinical interventions, prevention, community effectiveness, and research.
WHEN: Wednesday, September 9, 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
* Media pre-briefing to take place 9:00 a.m. Please RSVP at tmurphy@ccapr.com
WHERE: Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, 8th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001
WHY: With total costs rising to $147 billion in 2008 and accounting for an estimated 9.1 percent of annual health care spending, obesity is an epidemic that must be addressed as we work to reform the health care system. This forum will bring together prestigious health care organizations to discuss what best practices are taking place on a regional scale and what needs to occur on a national level to help inform policymakers as they move forth.
CONTACT: Tom Murphy/Chandler Chicco Agency – 202-609-6005, tmurphy@ccapr.com
The STOP Obesity Alliance receives funding from its sponsors, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC., founding sponsor; and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., supporting sponsor.