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September, 2009

Letter From The Director
Greetings!
 
The path toward health reform has certainly been rocky.  While there is no question about the need for change, the final outcome remains a mystery as we watch the process unfold in both the U.S. House and Senate. 
 
But amidst all the uncertainty, a unique opportunity emerged for the STOP Obesity Alliance to raise awareness among policymakers about the enormous stress obesity places on our nation's health care system -- and the impact it makes on individual health. 
 
On Sept. 9, the Alliance released policy recommendations for including obesity within health reform.  We convened an open discussion, led by 16th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. David Satcher, and 17th U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Richard H. Carmona, on the critical importance of addressing the obesity epidemic at this moment in time.  Joining them in the discussion were Steering Committee Members Dr. Jeff Levi (Trust for America's Health), Helen Darling (National Business Group on Health) and Joe Nadglowski (Obesity Action Coalition).
 
We are thrilled to have gathered more than 150 people (in-person and online) to view and participate in the discussion surrounding the Alliance's recommendations for health reform. These recommendations center on the following areas:
  • Standardized and effective clinical interventions
  • Enhanced use of clinical preventive services
  • Effective, evidence-based community programs and policies
  • Coordinated research efforts
The Alliance's recommendations have captured the media's interest as well -- with news of the Alliance's work reaching audiences through online and print news outlets. Of particular note is a compelling call-to-action issued by Surgeons General Dr. Satcher and Dr. Carmona in an Op-Ed that ran in this week's Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In the column, Drs. Satcher and Carmona encourage our leaders to put aside partisanship to make real progress in the health reform debate.  They urge policymakers to create a national priority for supporting Americans in their efforts to make healthy decisions and escape from the compounded effects of obesity and chronic disease.

Additionally, you may have read separate articles featuring former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist; Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.); Ken Thorpe of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease; and, Morton Kondracke, Executive Editor of Roll Call, all of whom have recently been featured in the news discussing the importance of addressing obesity within health reform. I couldn't agree more.
 
In the face of an epidemic and impending systemic change, it can be difficult to mark our progress.  But make no mistake, our voice is being heard.  And it is being heard by the right people.
 

Sincerely,

Christine C. Ferguson, JD
Director, STOP Obesity Alliance
Research Professor
School of Public Health and Health Services
Department of Health Policy
The George Washington University
Christine Ferguson
In This Issue
Alliance & Member News

News Round-Up


Alliance & Member News

STOP Obesity Alliance Director to Chair World Health Congress 4th Annual Obesity Congress Beginning Today
Join STOP Obesity Alliance Director Christine Ferguson at the World Health Congress 4th Annual Obesity Congress from September 30-October 2 in Alexandria, V.A.  Washington insiders, wellness advocates and employer groups will discuss combating the economic burden of obesity through wellness initiatives and behavioral modifications. Points of conversation will include understanding how health reform is a key driver in increasing obesity awareness and enabling higher quality care, developing health plan initiatives to expand coverage and incentivize reimbursements for early interventions and obesity treatments, and discovering ways to align business and public politics to support healthy choices as the "default" option.  Other speakers include STOP Obesity Alliance Members: American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity, DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance and the Obesity Action Coalition. For more information please click here
 
Commentary on Gender Differences in Obesity Attitudes Published in Women's Health Issues
A commentary from The George Washington University's STOP Obesity Alliance research team was published in the current issue of the Women's Health Issues journal.  The commentary "Not All Are Created Equal: Differences in Obesity Attitudes Between Men and Women", co-authored by Alliance Director Christine Ferguson, explores sources and effects of stigma in several environments including the workplace and physicians offices, and attitudinal differences between men and women when it comes to obesity interventions and perceptions.  Additionally, the paper explores differences in primary care delivery and diagnoses between the sexes, and the fact that women experience significantly more negative social and psychological effects from obesity than men.  You can download the paper here.

AADE Partnering with AACE on New Webinars 
American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) will present two live Webinars in October on diabetes issues.  The first Webinar, "Using Therapeutic Humor in Diabetes Education," is planned for October 7 and will discuss how laughter and a positive attitude have been confirmed as good methods in diabetes education.  The second Webinar on October 21 will discuss coding and reimbursement issues that pertain to continuous glucose monitoring.  Both Webinars will be 90 minutes and begin at 1 p.m. EST on the respective dates.
 
AMGA to Hold Institute for Quality Leadership Annual Meeting
American Medical Group Association (AMGA) will host its 2009 Institute for Quality Leadership Annual Conference featuring quality improvement leaders from across the U.S. sharing innovative stories and experiences, learning from peers in similar organizations and embracing the opportunity for lasting health care change.  To kick off the conference, Dr. James Reinertsen, an icon in medical group leadership and quality improvement, will discuss what needs to be done in the next few years to move to a higher level of health care performance.  The conference will take place September 30-October 2 in San Francisco, C.A.  Click here for a brochure.

ASBP to Host 59th Annual Obesity and Associated Conditions Symposium
The 59th Annual Obesity & Associated Conditions Symposium, hosted by the American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP), will be held October 7-10 in Orange County, C.A.  The symposium will offer several courses related to bariatric surgery, nutritional diets, pathophysiology of obesity, medical treatments and weight management.  To view the preliminary program, click here.
 
NBGH to Host Conference on Health, Productivity and Human Capital
National Business Group on Health (NBGH) and its Institute on Health, Productivity, and Human Capital will host the 23rd National Conference on Health, Productivity, and Human Capital on October 13-15 in Philadelphia, P.A.  The theme of this year's conference is "Optimizing Productivity: Leading with a Culture of Health."  The conference will highlight employer best practices focused on managing health and productivity in a challenging economy; quantifying the effects of medical treatment on absence management and program design; health and productivity's role in the global marketplace; governmental changes in health care legislation and reform; and, proven ROI analysis.  Click here for more details. 
 
The Obesity Society to Host 27th Annual Scientific Meeting
"Obesity 2009," the 27th Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society, will be held October 24-28 in Washington, D.C.  The meeting will bring together key leaders in the field of obesity, from world-renowned basic and clinical researchers and clinicians to educators, advocates, policymakers and practitioners.  The Obesity Society welcomes the public to attend the free advocacy forum, "Can We Reform Healthcare Without a Sound Obesity Policy?" taking place on October 24 at 2 PM.  Additionally, the organization is offering a one-day pass to all sessions and activities on October 26 for non-members who wish to attend the meeting.  Click here for more information.
 
16th and 17th U.S. Surgeons General Join the STOP Obesity Alliance in Issuing Policy Recommendations to Address Obesity Within Health Reform
  
On September 9, the two most recent U.S. Surgeons General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. and Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS led the STOP Obesity Alliance in issuing recommendations to address obesity within health reform.  Drs. Carmona and Satcher, along with other panelists at the event spoke on the need for urgent action to address obesity and chronic diseases in America, detailing the Alliance recommendations for standardized and effective clinical interventions; enhanced use of clinical preventive services; effective, evidence-based community programs and policies; and; coordinated research efforts. Click here for more information, including the recommendations, press release and Webcast.


News Round-Up
Eat, Pray, Love
September 25, 2009
TIME
Alice Park 

Even for the most well-intentioned working parents, having the will to eat right doesn't necessarily mean being able to find a way to do so.  Everyday life-in the form of work, school and other activities-always seems to get in the way.  In fact, recent studies show that one of the most important factors that determine how healthily, or unhealthily, Americans eat is workplace demands.
 
Helping Americans Live Well is Good Public Policy
September 22, 2009
The Hill
Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper (D-Pa.) 

Rep. Kathy Dahlkemper writes about her concern that health reform legislation and discussions are omitting the actual health of Americans as a major consideration.  Her proposal to prevent chronic disease (H.R. 3472) would create health insurance coverage premium discounts of up to 20 percent for healthy behavior and improvements toward healthy behavior. 
 
Born to Be Big
September 11, 2009
Newsweek
Sharen Begley 
In 2006, scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health reported that the prevalence of obesity in infants under six months had risen 73 percent since 1980.  This epidemic of obese six-month old babies poses a problem for conventional explanations of the fattening of America.  The search for answers to this epidemic has identified early-life exposure to traces of chemicals in the environment as a potential cause.  Evidence has been steadily accumulating that certain hormone-mimicking pollutants act on genes in the developing fetus and newborn to turn more precursor cells into fat cells, which stay with you for life.  They may also alter metabolic rate, so that the body hoards calories rather than burning them. 

Safeway Emphasis on Preventive Care a Model for Nation
September 10, 2009
The Hill
Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.) 
A study by the Trust for America's Health found that by investing $10 a person per year in programs that increase physical activity, improve nutrition and prevent smoking and other tobacco use, the U.S. could save more than $16 billion annually over the next five years.  Safeway, one of the nation's largest employers, has created the "Healthy Measures" program that offers reduced healthcare premiums to employees based on: tobacco usage, healthy weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels.
 
The Real Cause of Obesity
September 10, 2009
Newsweek
Jeffrey Friedman 

Jeffrey M. Friedman, M.D., Ph.D. of The Rockefeller University writes that while research into the biologic system that controls weight is moving toward the development of effective therapies for obesity, we are not there yet.  In the meantime, we must change our attitudes toward the obese and focus less on appearance and more on health.  Obese people are not only fighting against their biology but also against a society that wrongly believes that obesity is a personal failure.  

The Social Side of Obesity: You Are Who You Eat With
September 3, 2009
TIME
Shahreen Abedin 
A study published in the August issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition finds that how much tweens and teens eat can be influenced by how much their friends weigh.  
 
Obesity Surgery's Benefits Extend to Next Generation
September 2, 2009
U.S. News & World Report
Nathan Seppa 
 
A new study in the November Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism shows that children born to women who have achieved drastic weight loss through bariatric surgery are healthier than children born to severely obese women.  Dana Dabelea, a physician and epidemiologist at the University of Colorado-Denver and the Colorado School of Public Health in Aurora explains that this research is groundbreaking because it is the first proof that exposure to obesity in utero is associated with long-term effects.
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The Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance receives funding from its sponsors, sanofi-aventis U.S. LLC, founding sponsor, and Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc., supporting sponsor.

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