One of STOP's core principles has long been that the work to end obesity cannot begin and end with personal responsibility. Obesity is a multi-factorial issue that requires initiatives on multiple levels and sectors of society. Many factors contribute to obesity and overcoming them extends beyond individual will. That we can all agree on.

There's less consensus, however, on which strategies make the most sense to deploy. Over the past month, there have been several suggestions for how governments can be involved in addressing obesity. For example:

• New research published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization that suggests government action to provide economic incentives for famers to produce more healthful foods and disincentives to others for selling processed foods.
• A city in England enrolling adult citizens with a BMI of 25 or higher in a text message program that provides regular messages about adding more fruits and vegetables and increasing physical activity.
• Calling upon the food industry to pay for a portion of obesity-related health costs, as reported in Politico.

While unique and diverse approaches, it's too soon to know which, if any, will prove to be effective. What we do know is that there is a role for government to work with families, health care professionals, employers and others, to create an environment that will help overcome and prevent obesity.

In STOP's recent paper, "Community Benefit and Obesity Programming: Guidance and Opportunities for Nonprofit Hospitals," we recognize the value of another important player in communities - nonprofit, community-based hospitals. Partnerships between these hospitals and their local governments and other community organizations can lead to the development of effective strategies and programs for reducing obesity. Strategic investment in communities, headed by collaborative partnerships like these, could lead to sustained reductions in rates of overweight and obesity and help to create a healthier community.

Our report was developed to assist nonprofit hospitals and those working in community benefit to address obesity and obesity-related concerns. We recognize that hospitals have tremendous opportunities to address unhealthful physical and social environments that contribute to obesity and create supportive, strategic programs to help community members improve their health.

There's a lot of confusion out there about obesity and whose responsibility it is to pay for its costs and fix its damaging effects. I caution that we should not get caught up in the blame game, and we should not try to pin this epidemic on any single culprit or sector. It will take all of us making changes to create healthier environments and working together to create effective strategies to reduce obesity. Most importantly, there's an urgent need for more research about obesity - its causes, its pervasive impacts, how to address it - that must be a focus as we move forward.

To learn more about STOP Obesity Alliance's core policies and recommendations for addressing obesity, take a look at our policy recommendations. And, as always, let me know what you think about current activities to address obesity.

Best, 

Baby's Appetite May be Predictor of Future Obesity Risk

February 19, 2014

CBS News

By Michelle Castillo

Two linked studies published in JAMA Pediatrics found that babies with hearty appetites grow faster, increasing their risk for obesity. Study researchers noted that the desire to eat more might also be genetic.

A Judgmental Doctor May Make It Hard to Lose Weight 

February 19, 2014

HealthDay

By Robert Preidt

People with obesity are less likely to lose weight if they feel that they are being judged by their doctor, according to a study published in Preventive Medicine. Study researchers found that 21 percent of survey respondents said they believed their doctor judged them because of their weight. Additionally, 14 percent of people who felt judged and discussed weight loss with their doctor lost 10 percent or more of their body weight, compared with 20 percent of those who did not feel judged and talked with their doctor about losing weight.

Does a Large Weight Gain REALLY Cause Type 2 Diabetes?

February 13, 2014

Health

By Serena Gordon

A study published in PLoS Medicine found that the majority of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes did not get the disease until they had been overweight or obese for a number of years. Study researchers found those who maintained stable levels of overweight and eventually developed type 2 diabetes did not have a significant rise in their level of insulin resistance before getting the disease.

New Obesity Weapon: Kids Teaching Kids 

February 10, 2014

HealthDay

By Steven Reinberg

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Pediatrics found that when older children teach younger children about nutrition and the benefits of exercise, the younger ones seem to lose weight and gain knowledge about healthy living. Study researchers found that Health Buddies, a program that exemplifies that school of thought, helped children with overweight lose an average of half an inch off their waist and increased their knowledge of diet and exercise.

Why Nutrition Is So Confusing

February 8, 2014

The New York Times

By Gary Taubes

According to the article, since the 1960s, nutrition science has been dominated by two conflicting observations: 1) that people know how to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight and 2) that the increasing rates of obesity and diabetes suggest that something about the conventional thinking is incorrect. The article argues that increasing rates of obesity are due to a failure in the nutrition research community to establish reliable knowledge about the environmental triggers of obesity and diabetes.