May 2015 Issue

IN THIS ISSUE

Alliance & Member News

News Round-Up

In last month's e-newsletter, I highlighted some of the research presented at the Institute of Medicine's workshop, Physical Activity: Moving Toward Obesity Solutions. The second day of the conference focused on policy initiatives and innovative strategies for physical activity promotion at the institutional and community level.

Dr. Jamie Chriqui from the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed several policy initiatives across multiple settings. One example from the health care field detailed the effect of an exercise prescription on increasing patient physical activity and energy expenditure. If physician support offers an effective approach to physical activity promotion in a health care setting, then policies for state licensing standards, reimbursement for counseling, and continuing medical education (CME) courses could increase provider engagement in these efforts.

In schools, state physical education requirements are associated with increased physical activity, especially for young girls. When schools have minimum physical activity standards in place, student physical activity levels increase and the prevalence of obesity decreases. Dr. Chriqui's data from 96 of the largest U.S. counties details how zoning and land use policies can effectively increase active transport, such as biking, walking and running. The policy portion of the workshop featured several successful interventions across a variety of settings and emphasized the role of policy in physical activity promotion.

Dr. Abby King of Stanford University addressed community approaches to physical activity promotion, including an intriguing example of a "virtual advisor" named Carmen. Accessed through an app, Carmen, a bilingual avatar, encourages Latino seniors to lead more active lives by providing tailored interaction with the user. Such targeted motivation appears effective because app users significantly increased regular walking levels compared to a control group. Carmen addresses physical activity in a culturally competent way, sensitive to the language, literacy, and computer skills of the senior Latino population. This and other community-based strategies demonstrate the success of a bottom-up approach to physical activity promotion and a need for greater reliance on citizen science engagement.

As a part of the conversation surrounding institutional promotion of physical activity, Dr. Nico Pronk of HealthPartners discussed the role of the workplace in making physical activity a daily routine. Through walking meetings, prominent open staircases, or sit-stand devices, employers can create a physical activity-friendly work culture. Employers are interested in these programs to improve productivity, reduce costs and increase the quality of life of their employees. Workplace pedometer programs and active travel initiatives like biking or walking groups can also increase the physical activity of employees. Dr. Pronk analyzed a physical activity initiative at IBM that created a Virtual Fitness Center for employees. This interactive tool provided users with goal setting, an activity log, team-based campaigns, progress reports, coaching, and incentives. Users incurred lower health care costs compared to non-users, significantly lower hospital costs, and lower heart disease and diabetes costs. Workplace engagement is just one example of how institutions can increase wellness and physical activity.

Full video and PowerPoint presentations from the workshop are available online. STOP is committed to encouraging interventions and environments that support active living, independent of weight or weight loss. I hope these conversations surrounding physical activity promotion continue beyond the presentations seen here, and I invite you to share with STOP the work you and your organizations are doing to improve health through physical activity.

Thanks,

Alliance & Member News

STOP Director Dr. Bill Dietz to Present as Part of Employee Wellbeing Month Webinar

Join us for "Employee Wellbeing: The Secret to Organizational Success," a webinar hosted in tandem with the 7th Annual Employee Wellbeing Month. The webinar will take place on June 18, 2:00-3:00 pm ET. Panelists will include STOP Obesity Alliance Director Bill Dietz, MD, PhD, as well as representatives from Virgin Pulse, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, World at Work and Knoll, Inc. Panelists will offer insight on how employers can support their people's healthy habits and discuss how employee well-being drives business success. Click here to register for the webinar.

STOP Director Dr. Bill Dietz Participates in Panel Discussion on Societal Cost of Obesity

Dr. Dietz participated in a panel discussion focused on a new study from the Center on Social Dynamics and Policy (CSDP) at Brookings Institution, conducted in partnership with the World Food Center of the University of California-Davis, that found that the societal cost of obesity may exceed $1.1 trillion if all 12.7 million U.S. youth with obesity become adults with obesity. The panel discussion followed a presentation of the research by Matthew Kasman, a research associate with CSDP. In addition to Dr. Dietz, the panel included CSDP Director Ross Hammond; Anand Parekh, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services deputy assistant secretary for health (science and medicine); and Justin Trogdon, associate professor at the University of North Carolina's Gillings School of Global Public Health. Click here to watch a video of the event and download the research presentation.

STOP Medical Director Dr. Scott Kahan Participated in CQ Roll Call Policy Breakfast on the Cost of Obesity in America's Aging Populaltion

STOP Medical Director Scott Kahan, MD, MPH participated in a recent CQ Roll Call policy breakfast briefing, "Addressing the Cost of Obesity in America's Aging Population," that brought together health leaders and policymakers for a health policy forum that examined obesity in an aging American population. The discussion focused on comprehensive solutions to ease the health and economic burden for patients, families and society as a whole. In addition to Dr. Kahan, panelists included Adriel Bettelheim, managing editor, health, CQ Roll Call; Alex Brill, CEO, Matrix Global Advisories; and Don W. Bradley, MD, MHS-CL, chief medical officer at Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina; faculty at Duke and UNC Medical Schools. Other speakers at the event included James Appleby, executive director and CEO, The Gerontological Society of America; Fmr. HHS Secy. Tommy Thompson; Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.); and Sen. Thomas Carper (D-Del.) Click here to learn more.

AHA Encourages Public Comment on EEOC Proposed Rule

The American Heart Association (AHA) is encouraging public comment on the recently released Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) proposed rule. The proposal provides guidance to employers on the extent to which they can use incentives to encourage employees to participate in wellness programs that include disability-related inquiries and/or medical examinations under the Americans With Disabilities Act. The proposed rule will have implications for employees with obesity who are trying to address their weight and health within the context of employer-sponsored worksite wellness programs and health care plans. Comments are due to EEOC by June 19. Click here to submit comments.

ASBP Annual Conference Coming to Washington, DC

The American Society of Bariatric Physicians (ASBP)'s annual conference, Overcoming Obesity 2015, will take place Sept. 30 - Oct. 4 in Washington, DC and will bring together nearly 600 clinical obesity medicine physicians and other health care providers. Abstract submission for the conference is open until June 22. ASBP will again offer its Obesity Medicine Certification Review Course as part of the conference. The course is a resource for physicians in the U.S. and Canada who are preparing to take the American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) certification exam. This year's course will take place from Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 in Washington, DC and offers 13 hours of continuing medical education (CME). Click here to learn more about the conference and the review course and to register online.

News Round-Up

Heart Risk Factors May Affect Black Women More Than White Women

May 21, 2015

NPR

By Nancy Shute

African-American women can be at risk of heart disease even if they don't have metabolic syndrome, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The study found that having just two metabolic abnormalities raised heart disease risk in African-American women. Having overweight or obesity with two or three metabolic factors almost doubled the risk of heart disease. For white women, having overweight or obesity didn't boost their risk unless they also had full-on metabolic syndrome.

Mom's Obesity May Hurt Her Unborn Baby's Immune System

May 20, 2015

Science World Report

By Catherine Griffin

The article states that a number of studies have linked maternal obesity-starting pregnancy with excess weight and gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy to a higher incidence of cardiovascular disease and asthma in children. Ilhem Messaoudi noted that the study she conducted at the University of California, Riverside offers potential links between changes in the offspring's immune system and the increased susceptibility and incidence of cardiovascular disease and asthma later in life.

Bullied Kids Have Higher Risk of Adult Obesity and Heart Disease

May 19, 2015

Reuters

By Kate Kelland

According to a study by British psychiatrists, victims of childhood bullying are more likely to have overweight or obesity as adults and have a higher risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and other illnesses. Researchers found that just over a quarter of women who were occasionally or frequently bullied as children had obesity at age 45, compared to 19 percent of those who had never been bullied.

Obesity May Increase Stroke Risk in Young Adults

May 15, 2015

Reuters

By Lisa Rapaport

A recent study found that after accounting for age, gender and ethnicity, obesity increased the odds of a young adult having a stroke by 57 percent. Senior study author Dr. Steven Kittner noted that much of that added risk may be connected to smoking, high blood pressure or diabetes in addition to weight. The study findings expand on a growing body of research linking strokes to obesity and offer evidence that the danger exists for younger people and not just older adults.

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.

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