Future Obesity Policy Issues

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Future Obesity Policy Issues
Dr. William Rowley
Addressing the Consequences of Obesity in Federal
Programs and Policies U.S. Medicine Institute for
Health Studies May 18,2007
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Success among the motivated
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Success among the motivated
Motivation and physical activity are not enough!
What else must the military do?

• 13 are obese
• 3,000 separations per year

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What is the real issue?
Could it be that to a great extent our bodies are
acting rationally
but now living in a new, obesogenic environment?

• A healthy society may require either
• Altering our environment
• Altering our genetics

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Preventing Obesity
Change Our Schools
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Preventing Obesity
Change Our Views on Eating
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Preventing Obesity
Change Our Views on Eating
Can social pressure change eating habits?
Can policy change societys beliefs?
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Preventing Obesity
Unintended consequences of the Farm Bill
Subsidies cause overproduction of corn and soy
Food system awash with sugar fat
Inexpensive energy dense processed foods
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Preventing Obesity
Bring Activity Back into Life
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Preventing Obesity
Bring Activity Back into Work
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Health Care Manages Obesity
America wants a high tech cure

• Prevention early intervention
• How promote behavior change?
• Right reimbursement incentives?

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Three future scenarios

• Society takes responsibility to change behavior
  and the obesogenic environment
• Society doesnt change, but relies on high-tech
  therapies procedures
• Society doesnt change, but is accepting
  resigned

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Solution is complex, interdependent
Regulatory efforts
Educational strategies
Economic approaches
Clinical intervention management
Will it take all this to solve the militarys
problem?
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Solution is complex, interdependent
Regulatory efforts
Educational strategies
Economic approaches
Clinical intervention management
Commitment from all aspects of society
Communities
Businesses
Public
Policy makers
Actually the military could lead in finding
workable solutions
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