Greetings! As I read the news coming out of the recent United Nations Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases, it struck me how much health and the worldwide threats to health have changed. According to the U.N. report, "Death and illness from non-communicable diseases are greater threats than transmissible diseases like malaria and HIV in every region except Africa." A report from the World Economic Forum and Harvard University released on the eve of the meeting found that increasing costs globally from obesity- and lifestyle-linked illnesses in the next two decades represent 75 percent of gross domestic product in 2010. And World Health Organization Director-General Margaret Chan said, "Obesity is the signal that something is terribly wrong." This month also saw the International Federation of the Red Cross release a report finding that obese people now outnumber the hungry globally. In the report, Red Cross Secretary General Bekele Geleta said, "If the free interplay of market forces has produced an outcome where 15 percent of humanity is hungry while 20 percent is overweight, something has gone wrong somewhere." The world is starting to look at obesity and weight-related diseases in a new way. This is a big shift, but not surprising. In the United States, we are seeing shifts in how we could approach the problem of obesity and chronic diseases, including a focus on earlier interventions and more tailored treatment programs. A recent study published in Health Affairs found that Medicare could save $7 billion or more if we expanded a proven, community-based weight loss program nationwide for overweight and obese adults 60-64 who are prediabetic or at risk for heart disease. (1) Here at the STOP Obesity Alliance, we've been working to raise awareness about ways to address obesity and weight-related health risks as well. Our Obesity GPS (Guide for Policy and Program Solutions) navigation tool guides public and private decision makers on ways to determine the best routes to effectively address obesity. The Alliance also recently updated policy recommendations focused on five key areas where both the private and public sectors can act. We also have been working to improve how weight is discussed in media and in policy discussions - shifting the emphasis to focus on weight as a matter of health, not appearance. In October we will be partnering with the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) to release a set of guidelines to help policymakers more effectively address weight and health. These guidelines follow media recommendations STOP and NEDA released last year to help the media more responsibly report on weight and health. As we know all too well, our media environment often presents unrealistic and uninformed portrayals of weight and, it turns out, these stories can influence how policymakers see their role in addressing overweight and obesity. Next month, we'll host a national webinar on shifting the policy dialogue when it comes to weight, called "Pounds and Policy." Stay tuned for information on how to join the discussion and also for a "call to action" the Alliance Task Force on Women and other STOP members will be issuing to encourage people to ask their legislators to pledge to improve conversations about weight and health. It's just one piece of the global puzzle, but as we're learning, small actions made in concert can make big differences! |
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Sincerely,
Christine C. Ferguson, J.D.
Director, STOP Obesity Alliance
Professor, School of Public Health and Health Services
Department of Health Policy
The George Washington University
(1) Thorpe KE, Yang Z. Enrolling People With Prediabetes Ages 60-64 In A Proven Weight Loss Program Could Save Medicare $7 Billion Or More. Health Affairs. 2011;30(9):1673-1679. |
Alliance & Member News
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Several Alliance Steering Committee and Associate Members were featured in news stories this month including:
- Alliance Director Christine Ferguson, JD, in The Huffington Post, "Giving Obesity Equal Weight in the Health Care System" and Reuters, "In Health Push, Michigan to Track Childhood Obesity."
- Alliance Clinical Advisor, Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, in The Huffington Post, "The Good News About the Obesity Epidemic."
- American Diabetes Association in TIME, "Study: Having Diabetes May Double Your Risk of Alzheimer's."
- Joslin Diabetes Center in HealthCanal.com, "Joslin Researchers Identify Pathways Leading to Activation of 'Good' Fat."
- National Eating Disorders Association in The San Francisco Chronicle, "Eating-Disorder Patients Battle Insurers Over Care."
- Rebecca Puhl, PhD, in TIME, "Don't Call My Kid Fat! Parents Want Doctors to Talk About 'Unhealthy Weight'."
STOP Obesity Alliance "Pounds and Policy" Panel
Stay tuned! STOP is planning a webinar in mid-October about the need for media and policymakers to address weight and health responsibly. The "Pounds and Policy" webinar will unveil a guide for policymakers and the media to shift the conversation about weight to focus on health. Check back here for more information.
BEDA's First Annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week
This past week, the Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) held its First Annual Weight Stigma Awareness Week. In its Call to Action, BEDA encouraged members to talk openly about biases with a support group, friend or family member and spread the word about weight stigma using social media. Click here for more information.
National Diabetes Prevention Program
The American Diabetes Association would like to share that on Tuesday, September 20, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the FY 2012 Labor, Health, and Human Services appropriations bill that provided $10 million for the National Diabetes Prevention Program. This is the first time the National Diabetes Prevention Program has been funded. The program, authorized by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, enables the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to bring evidence-based diabetes prevention programs to communities across the country. Click here for more information.
ACPM Congressional Breakfast Briefing
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM), in partnership with the National Association of County and City Health Officials, will hold a Congressional briefing entitled, "The New Paradigm for Public Health & Preventive Medicine: Working Smarter in Today's Economy," on October 4 in Washington, D.C. Senator Tom Udall (D-NM) will provide opening remarks. Click here for more information or RSVP to policy@naccho.org.
AHIP State Issues Conference
America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) is hosting its State Issues Conference to debate successes and challenges related to health care reform on October 6-7 in Washington, D.C. Key discussion topics will include delivery system reform and Essential Health Benefits. Click here for more information.
Women in Government Healthcare Reform Task Force
Women in Government will hold a Healthcare Reform Task Force meeting on October 12-13 in Charleston, S.C. Women state legislators from across the country will discuss Medicaid reform, chronic disease prevention, high-risk pools and health insurance exchanges, among other topics. Click here for more information.
ASAA Sleep Apnea & Multi-Modal Transportation Conference
The American Sleep Apnea Association (ASAA) will host a Sleep Apnea & Multi-Modal Transportation Conference on November 8-9 in Baltimore, Md. The conference will feature presentations on diagnosing and treating obstructive sleep apnea as well as employee health and safety programs. Click here for more information.
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News Round-Up
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Obese May Be Less Able to Control Food Impulses: Study
September 19, 2011
Reuters
Julie Steenhuysen
In the Journal of Clinical Investigation, researchers from Yale and the University of Southern California report that thin people demonstrate increased activity in a region of the brain used for impulse control, whereas obese people showed little activity in this region. The study is part of a push to understand the underlying biological processes that contribute to obesity.
Why Even Resolute Dieters Often Fail
September 19, 2011
The New York Times
Jane E. Brody
According to researchers at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the long-used rule of weight loss - reduce 3,500 calories (or burn an extra 3,500) to lose one pound of body fat - is actually inaccurate. Instead, the researchers explain in a study from The Lancet that people of different weights do not respond uniformly to changes in caloric intake. The study helps shed light on why weight loss can be so difficult for so many people.
Diabetes "Massive Challenge" as Cases Hit 366 Million
September 13, 2011
Reuters
Ben Hirschler
Nearly 366 million people live with diabetes worldwide, experts revealed at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes congress in Lisbon, Portugal. This and other new data on the prevalence and cost of diabetes will be published by The International Diabetes Federation in its fifth edition of the Diabetes Atlas. The previous edition, released in October 2009, projected that approximately 285 million people would have diabetes in 2010.
Weight-Loss Program Could Save Up to $15 Billion for Medicare
September 11, 2011
Medical News Today
Christian Nordqvist
A study published in Health Affairs found that investing in weight loss programs to prevent diabetes or heart disease could save Medicare up to $15 billion. The research proposes enrolling overweight and obese adults between the ages of 60 and 64 with pre-diabetes in community-based weight loss programs before they enter Medicare.
Medicare May Cover Obesity Counseling
September 2, 2011
MedPage Today
Emily P. Walker
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services proposed paying for "high intensity" obesity counseling for seniors, such as behavior modification and weight-loss counseling. In order to be eligible for reimbursement from Medicare, counseling would have to occur in a primary care setting. Hospitals, surgery centers, diagnostic testing facilities, nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities and hospices would not qualify for reimbursement. |
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