Weighing In is a STOP Obesity Alliance Blog

Searching for Young People to Inspire Healthy Living!

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, a non-profit organization founded by the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation, is searching for young people excited to share their commitment to healthy living and inspire their friends, families, schools and communities to take action and help stop childhood obesity.

STOP Obesity Alliance April E-Newsletter

Dear Reader,

Every day, parents and other caregivers are confronted with myriad questions and situations that not only are challenging and unanticipated, but for which they are unprepared.

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.  Click here to view the webinar.

Policy Recommendations
NEW: STOP Obesity Alliance Revised Recommendations

The Alliance's policy recommendations focus on five key areas where both the private and public sectors can impact the nation's ongoing struggle.

Recommendation One: Redefining Success

Explore the use of a five to ten percent sustained reduction of current weight as the appropriate measure of success for the purpose of determining whether treatment interventions and innovations are effective.

Recommendation Two: Encourage Innovation and Multifactorial Interventions to Strengthen the System of Care for Overweight and Obesity

Aggressively explore multifactorial interventions that can achieve a five to ten percent sustained weight loss for those whose condition has not been successfully addressed solely by nutrition and physical activity and for whom bariatric surgery is not an option. Motivate payers, insurers and employers to encourage innovation around these treatments and disease management.

Recommendation Three: Address and Reduce Stigma as a Barrier to Improving Health Outcomes

Cultivate a positive environment by promoting awareness and open discussion among health professionals, opinion leaders, role models (e.g., parents, teachers, coaches) and the public of the harmful impact of stigmatizing people with overweight and obesity and promote interventions that provide support for sustained weight loss and go beyond recognizing the role of personal responsibility.

Recommendation Four: Broaden, Intensify and Coordinate the Research Agenda for Obesity

Encourage an interdisciplinary research environment that addresses the obesity epidemic as a result of a complex interplay of biological, genetic, behavioral, cultural, environmental, social, policy and economic factors.

Recommendation Five: Encouraging Physical Activity for Improved Health

Encouraging interventions and creating environments that support physical activity will improve health, independent of weight or weight loss, resulting in a healthier population.

To see the full recommendations, click here.