1. Redefining Success: A growing body of evidence suggests that losing somewhere between five to 10 percent of current weight leads to major health improvements, including decreasing risks for diabetes and heart disease. However, there is no common, evidence-based definition of what constitutes successful weight loss, leaving the field wide open to interpretation. The STOP Obesity Alliance recommends promoting the use of a sustained loss of five to 10 percent of current weight as a key measure to judge the effectiveness of weight-reduction interventions.

2. Encouraging Innovation and Best Practices in Obesity Treatment: The Alliance recommends innovative approaches for obesity treatment, intervention and disease management for patients who have been unsuccessful with traditional nutrition and exercise only programs. Currently, individual programs rarely leverage possible best practice models that combine multiple interventions, such as diet, exercise, medication and behavioral treatment.

3. Addressing and Reducing Stigma as a Barrier to Obesity Treatment: No evidence suggests that stigmatizing overweight and obese individuals is a motivator for losing weight. The Alliance recommends that health care professionals, government and private entities address the issue in a way that promotes open discussion rather than isolating those who are affected. It recognizes the broader societal barriers to weight loss and encourages promoting programs that go beyond recognizing the single role of personal responsibility.

4. Broadening the Research Agenda for Obesity: Health care decision makers need reliable information to assess the relative value of addressing the obesity epidemic. The Alliance recommends a broadened research agenda that examines all of the important factors contributing to the obesity epidemic and how they interact with each other, as well as applied research to address the immediate needs of payers, providers, individuals and others on the front lines. 

World Healthcare Congress   The 3rd Annual Employer Health and Human Capital     
                                       Congress                                                      
                                       Washington, D.C, Jan. 30 - Feb. 1.

Academy Health                  National Health Policy Conference
                                       Washington, D.C., Feb. 2-5