Several Alliance Steering Committee and Associate Members were featured in news stories this month including:

• American Diabetes Association in USA Today, "More Young Adults Are Living with Diabetes."  
• American Heart Association  in The Washington Post, "Obama Administration Releases Plan Aiming to Prevent Disease with Healthier Lifestyles."
• America's Health Insurance Plans in HealthLeaders Media, "5 Big Ideas from the AHIP Conference."
• American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery in MedPage Today, "ASMBS: Migraine Improves after Bariatric Surgery."
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in National Journal, "U.S. Teens Are Couch Potatoes, CDC Finds."
• Jeff Levi of Trust for America's Health in CQ Healthbeat, "HHS Lays Out Path For Prevention."
• Rebecca Puhl, Ph.D. in CBS News, "Are Media to Blame for Obesity Epidemic?"
• The Obesity Society and Obesity Action Coalition in CQ Healthbeat, "Weighing Risks Of Obesity Drugs."

Alliance Hosts Webinar: Policy Recommendations for Change in Overweight and Obesity
The STOP Obesity Alliance and Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., FACS, Health and Wellness Chairperson of the Alliance and 17th U.S. Surgeon General hosted a national webinar to introduce the Alliance's newest policy recommendation, formed by consensus among leading health care organizations.  The Alliance added a fitness recommendation to its list of policies for public and private sector decision makers, encouraging physical activity for improved health.

Speakers included Christine Ferguson, J.D., Director, STOP Obesity Alliance and Professor, The George Washington University; Adrian Hutbert, Ph.D., Vice President for Exercise Is Medicine; Laurie Whitsel, Director of Policy Research, American Heart Association; LuAnn Heinen, Vice President, National Business Group on Health; Chris Boyce, CEO, Virgin HealthMiles.  Click here to view media coverage of the event from National Journal.  Click here to view the webcast or click here to view the slides. 

Alliance Co-Sponsors National Employee Wellness Month for 3rd Consecutive Year
The STOP Obesity Alliance sponsored National Employee Wellness Month, observed in June, for a third consecutive year along with Virgin HealthMiles, the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation.  This annual initiative helps business leaders learn how companies have developed successful strategies around prevention and good health.  Click here to learn more.

ASMBS Foundation and OAC Announce "Walk from Obesity" Fall 2011 Locations
The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Foundation and the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) announced the more than 40 cities that will host "Walks from Obesity" this fall to raise awareness of obesity.  Click here for more information or to find a walk near you.

Advancing Minds That Care at AADE Annual Meeting
The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) annual meeting, Advancing Minds That Care, will be held August 3-6 in Las Vegas, Nev.  Attendees will have the opportunity to learn from peers who have improved patient outcomes, taught diverse populations, successfully marketed their diabetes education services and expanded their program into new practice settings. Click here for more information.

DiabetesSisters' Weekend for Women in California
DiabetesSisters is partnering with Behavioral Diabetes Institute to host a Weekend for Women Conference Series October 7-9 in San Diego, Calif.  In addition, the group has unveiled a new website which features a full library of photographs from past events.  Click here for more information.

Embrace Now at the NCLR Annual Conference
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) annual conference, Embrace Now, will be held July 23-26 in Washington, D.C. in conjunction with the National Latino Family Expo.  The conference will include workshops, town hall meetings and networking receptions.  For more information, click here.

Does an X Make a Difference?  Find Out With SWHR
The Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) will host, "What a Difference an X Makes: The State of Women's Health Research," an event focusing on female veterans, on July 22 in Washington, D.C.  The conference will highlight the sex-differences in a number of conditions that affect female veterans who have been exposed to military combat.  Click here for more information.  

Diabetes Cases Double to 347 Million
June 27, 2011

The Wall Street Journal

Gautam Naik

A study published in the journal Lancet found that the number of adult diabetics jumped to 347 million from 153 million in 1980, a sign that the epidemic will impose an ever-greater cost burden on health systems.  The researchers concluded that approximately 70 percent of the increase was due to aging of the population and the remaining 30 percent was due to the growing incidence of obesity, which is a major risk factor for diabetes.

$10 Million in Affordable Care Act Funds to Help Create Workplace Health Programs 

June 23, 2011
HHS.gov 

The Department of Health and Human Services announced that $10 million will be available for organizations to work with employers to set up and expand workplace health promotion programs.  The grants are intended to reduce risk factors among workers for chronic illnesses including heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes.

AMA Votes to Fight Against Unrealistic Body Image Promotion 

June 22, 2011
CBS Chicago

At the American Medical Association (AMA) annual meeting, the organization took aim at ads that promote unrealistic body images, emphasizing it is particularly concerned about ads directed at kids.  The AMA voted to encourage advertising associations to work on developing guidelines that would discourage promoting unrealistic body images - particularly in teen-oriented publications.

 
You Say Potato, Scale Says Uh-Oh 

June 23, 2011
The Wall Street Journal
Katherine Hobson

A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that eating more potato chips and french fries is likely to lead to a bigger weight gain over the years than the weight change associated with eating more of other foods.  According to researchers, the study suggests that the path to eating fewer calories is not simply to count calories, but to focus on consuming a more healthy diet in general.  

U.S. FDA Rebuffs Orexigen Proposals on Obesity Drug
June 3, 2011
Reuters
Lewis Krauskopf and Toni Clarke

Orexigen Therapuetics says that U.S. regulators rejected its proposals to salvage Contrave, its experimental obesity drug.  Following a meeting with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Orexigen said the agency demanded a trial that would be too large to feasibly conduct.

Nutritional Coup: My Plate Replaces USDA Food Pyramid
June 2, 2011
The Christian Science Monitor
Mark Trumbull

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and First Lady Michelle Obama announced a new visual guide, My Plate, designed to help Americans have balanced diets in an era of high concern about obesity among adults and children. The USDA and the U.S. surgeon general decided that a chart shaped like a dinner plate would better serve as a dietary guide.  A website called choosemyplate.gov provides more detailed guidance on the diet advice behind the new chart.