April 2015 Issue
IN THIS ISSUE
Alliance & Member News
News Round-Up


Greetings!
   

One of the stated goals of the STOP Obesity Alliance is to identify, implement, and evaluate strategies to increase physical activity for patients with obesity. We renewed our commitment to promoting physical activity when we updated our organizational goals at the beginning of this year. Currently, physical inactivity is responsible for one in 10 deaths in U.S. adults. Over the last 50 years, occupational energy expenditure has decreased by more than 100 calories per day, which accounts for a significant portion of increased body weight in U.S. men and women.

 

Earlier this month, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Roundtable on Obesity Solutions hosted a public workshop exploring the role of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of obesity. The workshop also provided examples of innovative strategies for promoting physical activity. The two-day workshop was recorded and can be viewed on the IOM website, along with each of the speaker's PowerPoint presentations.

 

While I encourage you to explore the program in its entirety, several presentations are worth emphasizing. In his keynote address, Jim Hill reviewed several studies investigating adjustments in response to increased physical activity. A systematic review found that prescribed physical activity-like exercise training does not lead to significant decreases in non-exercise physical activity. Another meta-analysis found that individuals tend not to alter food intake in the immediate hours following exercise. These two reviews provide sound support for the conclusion that individuals neither increase sedentary behavior to compensate for increased physical activity nor do they increase food intake to compensate for increased energy expenditure. As a result, when individuals engage in moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA), they likely are able to prevent weight gain and improve body composition.

 

The type of physical activity may be less important. A newly published randomized control trial in the Journal of Applied Physiology compared the impact of a hypocaloric diet plus four different types of exercise: endurance training, strength training, endurance plus strength training and physical activity alone. Weight loss and changes in body composition were comparable in all four arms of the study.

 

In a discussion on childhood obesity, Dr. Kathleen Janz reviewed results from the Iowa Bone Development Study, a longitudinal study of 500 children that used accelerometers to measure physical activity. Over the course of 16 years, beginning at age 5, these children received eight follow-up exams. Sedentary time did not appear to affect adiposity measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). MVPA was associated with a lower increase in adiposity and television time increased adiposity. These results emphasize the powerful effects of physical activity on the prevention of obesity in children. Consistent with other data, these observations also suggest that the impact of TV time on obesity is not mediated by the displacement of physical activity but more likely results from the influence of television on food intake, promoted by food advertising directed at children.

 

Dr. Ulf Ekelund discussed the role of physical activity in the prevention of obesity in adults. In a cohort of almost 300,000 participants from 10 European countries studied over five years, increased physical activity had a significant inverse effect on waist circumference, which would reduce the likelihood of several comorbidities. Baseline physical activity was not associated with a change in body weight after adjustment for age, baseline body weight, smoking, energy intake, alcohol consumption, education level, and duration of follow-up. Overall, physical activity was associated with a lower risk of the development of obesity in younger individuals at a normal weight. Other data indicate that increases in physical activity are associated with decreases in waist circumference without changes in body weight, indicating that physical activity improves body composition at the same body weight. Clothes will fit better but weight will not change. These results suggest that patients and the public may be better served by emphasizing the health benefits of physical activity and its effects on body composition rather than the effects of physical activity on body weight.

 

I suspect that these effects of physical activity are not widely known among primary care providers, and perhaps even among those who specialize in the treatment of obesity. Therefore, our challenge is to disseminate this information to those who need it. That task has begun with this newsletter, and could be enhanced by reviewing the workshop online

 

Thanks,


 
Alliance & Member News
Alliance & Member News

STOP Director Bill Dietz Honored With 2015 Master of the American Board of Obesity Medicine Award

STOP Director Bill Dietz, MD, PhD is the recipient of the 2015 Master of the American Board of Obesity Medicine award, presented to a physician who has made significant contributions to the science, practice and/or advancement of obesity medicine. Dietz is the Director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness, part of the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. Dietz will receive his award at a formal presentation in November during ObesityWeek in Los Angeles.

 

STOP to Participate in AWARE for All Clinical Research Education Day

STOP Obesity Alliance will participate in the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation's AWARE for All Clinical Research Education Day, a free educational event featuring a health fair and an informative presentation about clinical research participation. AWARE for All is a program that aims to educate and empower people to make informed decisions about clinical research participation. Participants will learn how to help advance public health and contribute to new medical advancements. The D.C. program will include free health screenings and information, complimentary refreshments, and an engaging talk with local doctors and patients. The event will take place on May 5 from 4 - 8 p.m. at the Marvin Center at George Washington University. Please click here for more information.

 

An In-Depth Look at the Lifetime Economic Costs of Obesity

STOP Director Bill Dietz, MD, PhD will participate in an upcoming panel discussion on the economic costs of obesity, hosted by the Brookings Institution, the Center for Social Dynamics and Policy, and the World Food Center of the University of California-Davis. The event, taking place May 12, will include the presentation of new research that quantifies a wide range of the economic costs of obesity and a discussion of the progress and additional work required to quantify the costs. The event will take place at Falk Auditorium in Washington, DC with the option to view via webcast. Click here for registration information.

 

AHA Releases Study on Childhood Obesity

A recent study by the American Heart Association (AHA) suggests certain ethnicities are more likely to gain weight in childhood. According to the study, Hispanic/Latinos, African Americans and American Indians tend to gain weight earlier in life than European Americans.

This means we should begin early when teaching our children and their families to eat healthy and be physically active. 

  

OAC Releases New Your Weight Matters National PSA

Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) released a new Your Weight Matters campaign public service announcement focusing on family, relationships, and the impact of weight on health. Your Weight Matters offers a variety of free resources available in English and Spanish, such as the Your Weight Matters campaign toolkit, which provides readers with information on weight-loss options, exercise, nutrition, sample questions to ask their health care provider, and a food journal. To view OAC's newest Your Weight Matters PSA, please click here. Individuals wanting to learn more about the Your Weight Matters campaign can do so by visiting www.YourWeightMatters.org.   

 

News Round-Up
News Round-Up

April 27, 2015

Huffington Post

By Kate Bratskeir

 

A new study conducted by Dr. Mark DeBoer at the University of Virginia found that children in kindergarten and first grade who watch at least 60 minutes of television a day are more likely to have overweight or obesity than those with less TV exposure. Currently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a two-hour cap on daily TV consumption in childhood. While this study only demonstrates an association between TV watching and obesity, it does suggest the need for further research to draw stronger conclusions about causality.

 

April 23, 2015

CBS News

By Amy Kraft

 

This article examines the role of diet vs. exercise in weight loss and notes that an editorial published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine said that excess sugar and carbs, not physical inactivity, are primarily to blame for the growing obesity epidemic. Other studies have come to different conclusions, saying that the rise in physical activity is to blame. According to the article, researchers say that although regular exercise has many health benefits, including reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer by 30 percent, it is our high caloric diets that lead to obesity.

 

April 8, 2015

MedPage Today

By Parker Brown

 

A new study found that stress at home can lead to obesity for adolescents. Researchers found that family conflict or separation, financial stress, and risky maternal behavior were positively associated with overweight or obesity in adolescents. The results were published in the April edition of Preventive Medicine.

 

Coursera, The University of Edinburgh

 

Coursera is teaming with The University of Edinburgh to offer a new course on obesity. The course will be taught by partners in the EU-funded research project Nudge-it, an initiative that aims to better understand decision-making in food choice. Coursera, a free, web-based curriculum platform. Course participants will learn about the facts and misconceptions around obesity, and the gaps in the scientific knowledge. To register for the free, online course, click here

 

 

 

The content on these web pages is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not designed to replace medical advice or professional medical services. The information should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your physician. Medical decisions should be made in consultation with your qualified health care provider. There may be variations in treatment that your health provider may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.