Addressing obesity is complex. On the one hand, it requires a societal approach, including building supportive environments where the healthy choices become easier choices.  With one of every three Americans affected by obesity and another one-third by overweight, few can argue the importance of broad strokes aimed at the environments in which we live.  

On the other hand, addressing the individual also is necessary.  While this, in part, refers to appropriate clinical treatments and compassionate guidance for those already affected by obesity, it also means educating the public, health care professionals and key decision makers about obesity, to support a strategic and productive approach to this public health epidemic.   

Educating the public is important to build greater awareness and understanding of obesity and people affected by obesity. Though we've made strides in debunking myths that obesity is about appearance rather than health and that addressing obesity is all about "willpower," there's still much work to be done. Misunderstandings and vitriolic comments about obesity and those affected by obesity continue to swamp the Internet, newspapers, TV...and even academic journals.

The Obesity Society recently launched "Treat Obesity Seriously," an important initiative to combat the obesity epidemic by shifting the dialogue from blame to solution and to raise awareness about the need to treat obesity as we do other serious health conditions, like heart disease and cancer. I encourage you to learn more on the campaign's website here.  

Educating health professionals is vital also. When I was in medical school, we learned essentially nothing about obesity. A physician survey commissioned by STOP Obesity Alliance found that most primary care physicians reported that no one in their practice has been trained to deal with weight issues. This continues to be a challenge and I hear often from colleagues that they just don't have the resources they need to help patients manage obesity.

I'm excited to report that there are several groups working hard on this issue. The American Medical Association (AMA)'s recent vote to classify obesity as a disease will bring more physician focus to this issue and the Treat Obesity Seriously campaign has a large component geared toward health care professionals. Additionally, the American Board of Obesity Medicine recently held its first board certification examination and nearly 200 U.S. physicians passed (I'm proud to be one of them).  This is an important step in the right direction that will increase the number of providers who are trained and certified to effectively address obesity.

We must continue to educate community leaders and policymakers on what obesity is, what it isn't, and what to do about it.  Members of Congress are already exploring ways to address obesity. Last month, the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act was introduced in both the Senate and the House.  If passed, the legislation would increase awareness of the Medicare counseling benefit among doctors and patients, expand beneficiary access to behavioral counseling services by allowing a range of health care providers to offer these services and provide coverage for obesity medications for appropriate patients.

As the dialogue about the AMA decision continues, I encourage everyone to learn more about efforts to increase obesity education, prevention and treatment.  By encouraging innovation and continuing our research, I am confident more paths forward will emerge to effectively address this disease.

Best,

Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) will host its 2013 Your Weight Matters National Convention, Rise to the Challenge," August 15-18 in Phoenix, Ariz. The convention will include more than 40 educational topics, including the basics of nutrition and available treatment options for weight and behavioral health issues like food addiction. Click here to register.

Canyon Ranch Institute (CRI) will accept nominations for its Prevention Pioneer Award that recognizes and honors individuals, organizations and initiatives that are advancing health literacy, improving prevention and eliminating health disparities. CRI is accepting nominations through August 30. Click here for complete instructions.  

ABOM 2013 Certification Examination Application Deadline Announced

American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) will administer the 2013 Certification Examination for Obesity Medicine Physicians December 7-14 at locations nationwide. The application deadline is September 20. Click here to register.

By Matt Murphy

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is reviewing new regulations that would remove the parent notification portion of a four-year-old program of collecting student BMI scores. Public officials say the program has provided valuable information to the state for targeting populations at risk for obesity, but suggests the parental notification requirement has led to bullying, increased stigma and concerns about body image, particularly among adolescent girls.

The blog post features Dr. Peter Attia, co-founder of a nonprofit nutrition organization, the Nutrition Science Initiative, who delivered a notable speech at a TEDMED conference in April where he apologized to his past overweight and obese patients for lacking compassion and understanding of their disease. Since the speech, Attia has received hundreds of emails daily, especially from doctors who express regret about their judgment of former patients.

A nine-year study published in Population Health Metrics found physical activity has improved noticeably in most counties; however, obesity has also continued to rise in nearly all counties. Study researchers suggest that the prevalence of obesity is in part generated by the access to and prevalence of unhealthy food options.

Screening and counseling for obesity has to be covered with no patient cost-sharing by most insurers under the preventive services benefit of the Affordable Care Act, but what services are offered vary greatly from plan to plan, according to the article. The article states that some insurers will offer telephone counseling, others will cover visits with a health coach and some will cover group sessions that offer lifestyle advice.

Watching an avatar exercise and learn healthy habits in a virtual community might help people shed excess weight, according to a small study published in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. Study researcher, Melissa Napolitano, PhD, from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, notes the findings suggest "that virtual reality could be a promising new tool for building healthier habits."