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



     
Over the course of 2015, STOP Obesity Alliance added several new members, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Egg Nutrition Center, Healthy Weight Partnership, Dr. Monique Turner, TogoRun, and the World Obesity Federation. Now more than ever, our Alliance includes a range of organizations that represent voices crucial to addressing the obesity epidemic. The origins of a disease like obesity are numerous and include biologic, genetic, behavioral, cultural, environmental, social, political, and economic influences. In keeping with the complex interplay of all of these factors, the Alliance will continue to engage with members who can offer diverse and innovative insight into each of these areas.

This expansive web of often interrelated influences presents a challenge to clinical providers, public health professionals, research scientists, and advocacy groups to approach this disease comprehensively. One of STOP's Steering Committee Members, The Obesity Society (TOS), has created an infographic that streamlines these contributors to obesity, weaving complex concepts into one accessible image.

The infographic lists the vast majority of the potential contributors to weight gain considered by research scientists. The image divides the contributors into two categories: inside the person and outside the person, pointing to both the biological and societal etiologies of obesity. These categories are further divided by seven color-coded influences: environmental, medical, developmental, economic, behavioral, psychological, and social. In addition to organizing topics by internal and external causes, the group also considered energy intake and expenditure.

Dr. Martin Binks, TOS Development Chair and Executive Council Secretary/Treasurer, leader of the Behavioral Medicine and Translational Research Lab at Texas Tech University, and chair of the task force charged with creating the infographic said, "The infographic is intended to represent the complexity of potential contributors to obesity by highlighting the breadth of topics that have been considered a question for investigation in the scientific literature."
 
"Obesity represents excess energy storage in the body," said Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar, Chair of Nutritional Sciences at Texas Tech University and former TOS President. "Energy intake and expenditure are the key influencers of energy storage. But what factors influence energy intake or expenditure? The infographic presents upstream possibilities that may influence energy intake or expenditure and in turn may contribute to energy stores."

TOS has managed to bring together an extensive span of published reports and scientific literature in one comprehensive and elegant visual. This image not only helps those of us who work in obesity to better visualize this disease, but also it presents an opportunity for others who may not realize how their work has a potential impact on obesity. According to Dr. Binks, "The infographic is not intended to evaluate whether or not these are contributors, or their relative importance; we hope it will broaden the public dialogue and stimulate ongoing research."

I hope you will share this image or use it for your presentations as we begin a new year of addressing obesity.

Best wishes for a productive New Year,


 
Alliance & Member News
Alliance & Member News
ABOM Announces 2016 Certification Exam Testing Schedule
The American Board of Obesity Medicine (ABOM) 2016 Certification Exam will be offered December 3-10, 2016 at computer-based testing centers throughout the United States and Canada. For additional information about the 2016 ABOM Certification Exam, please click here. 
 
ACE Develops New Guide for Walking Programs
American Council on Exercise (ACE) published a toolkit, "Walk This Way! A Guide for Developing Community and Individual Walking Programs," to support the Surgeon General's Call to Action on Walking and Walkable Communities, designed to increase physical activity through walking. The toolkit is available free of charge.
 
ACPM Announces Upcoming Symposium and Annual Meeting
American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) opened registration for its upcoming symposium, "Building Community Health & Wellbeing through Business, Culture, and Policy." The symposium will take place February 23, 2016, in Crystal City, VA. Preventive Medicine 2016, ACPM's annual meeting, will take place February 24-27, 2016 in Washington, DC. Click here to register for the annual meeting. Both events will bring together senior-level representatives from health systems, insurers, community groups, employers, government agencies, medical and public health associations, pharmaceutical companies, and other healthcare organizations focused on exploring how to create successful, vibrant and healthy communities. 
 
OMA to Host Obesity Medicine Basics Courses Throughout the Country
Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) will host eight Obesity Medicine Basics courses throughout the country in 2016. The one-day course provides introductory-level training about the evaluation and treatment of patients affected by obesity. The course content is appropriate for physicians and allied healthcare professionals who encounter patients diagnosed with or at risk for obesity. OMA is offering individuals who refer health care professionals to attend the course a $50 Amazon gift card for each healthcare professional referred. To receive the reward, the person making the referral must have an OMA profile and instruct the healthcare professionals referred to list the person who referred them at the time of registration. 

News Round-Up
News Round-Up
How Genetic Heritage Explains Obesity
December 14, 2015
Boston Globe
By Suzanne Koven
 
Dr. Lee Goldman, a cardiologist and dean of the faculty of health sciences and medicine at Columbia University, discusses the role that genes play in obesity in his new book, "Too Much of a Good Thing: How Four Key Survival Traits are Now Killing Us." Dr. Goldman explores how humans' overreaction to stress, craving for sweets and fatty and salty foods, and the clotting of our blood are determined by genes acquired because they were once advantageous. The book argues that while diet and exercise are an important part of health and wellbeing, obesity treatment should reach beyond lifestyle changes and also focus on therapies that may help control the aspects of obesity that aren't related to behavior.
 
December 14, 2015
The New York Times
By Sarah Varney
 
The New York Times reports on the changing landscape of nursing home residents. According to the article, facilities are unprepared for the growing number of seniors with obesity and comorbidities and are faced with inadequate numbers of staff with knowledge about how to care for this group and a lack of necessary equipment. A study published in Research in Gerontological Nursing found that the percentage of those entering American nursing homes with obesity has risen from nearly 15 percent in 2000 to nearly 25 percent in 2010.
 
Stigma and 'Fat Shaming' Can Fuel Depression and Increase Obesity
December 11, 2015
WBUR, Boston's NPR News Station
By Jeremy Hobson
 
STOP member Rebecca Puhl, PhD, deputy director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at the University of Connecticut, discusses perceptions of obesity and the psychological effects of weight bias. Dr. Puhl says that weight discrimination in the workplace and the effect of stereotypes can impact the physical and psychological health of a person with obesity. Dr. Puhl discusses the importance of people first language and the appropriate approach to discussing weight in both a clinical and personal context.
 
Doctors Need More Training to Address Obesity
December 2, 2015
The Baltimore Sun
By Dr. Bruce Y. Lee
 
Dr. Bruce Y. Lee, director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center at Johns Hopkins University, reports on research suggesting that nearly one half of people affected by obesity have not been advised by their physician about weight management. According to Dr. Lee, pervasive weight bias and misconceptions surrounding weight management negatively impact patient health. Dr. Lee notes that calls to improve medical training, education and treatment delivery have not resulted in systematic efforts to improve healthcare professionals' understanding of obesity and comprehensive treatment approaches that can be delivered as part of patient care.
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.
Copyright � 2014 STOP Obesity Alliance. All Rights Reserved.