The CDC's recent report of the top 10 Public Health Achievements of the past decade overlooked one of the most important, in my opinion: Progress in the fight against obesity.
I bet you're surprised to read this. While there are many "no brainers" on the CDC's list -- such as tobacco control, motor vehicle safety and heart disease improvements -- scary statistics and media reports suggest that we're losing the obesity fight.
To be sure, obesity rates only increased over the past decade, continuing the epidemic rise that has progressed over the past half-century. But hidden underneath the scary statistics is quite a bit of good news:
- Today, we have a national dialogue on obesity. This is a very recent shift. A decade ago, we weren't talking about obesity (except to call fat people "lazy" and "stupid" and the like). There is now regular discussion about this epidemic, both in terms of improving the evidence base for individual treatments and how to mount an effective population-level approach.
- We now generally accept that obesity is a serious health problem, rather than simply a cosmetic issue. In a study that my colleagues and I currently have in press, we show that a number of key public health messages are penetrating society. The vast majority of Americans we surveyed recognize that their weight can affect their health. The vast majority of physicians polled acknowledge that they have a responsibility to help their patients with weight management.
- More information is now available than ever before. The internet is chock full of great resources for individuals, parents, kids, schools teachers, doctors and others wishing to learn more about weight and health. (Of course, the reliable resources are awash in a sea of nonsense -- caveat emptor, as always, still applies. Feel free to email me and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction.) Schools are beginning to teach skills for healthy nutrition and physical activity. Workplace wellness opportunities are growing. Calorie labeling in restaurants will help millions to make healthier choices while dining out.
- Practitioners are slowly moving beyond simply lecturing patients to "eat less, exercise more," and thinking about the underlying causes and contributors of individuals' weight problems. Recent research has shown that primary care doctors can effectively implement comprehensive strategies to help their patients manage weight.
- The public and private sectors are on board. Governments, communities, schools, organizations and even the food industry, are working to address the policies, settings, contexts and environments that set the stage for weight gain and obesity. Sure, each of these stakeholder groups can -- and must -- do more. But to have all of them working toward some common goals is a small victory in itself.
- Significant research, advocacy and policy discussions about weight bias are now occurring daily. Though the level of vitriol has seemingly increased (as evidenced, I'm sure, by the hateful anti-fat comments that will likely appear below this post), we're now having real and informed discussions about the obesity epidemic, how to address the societal drivers of weight gain, how to support persons who have obesity and where to go from here.
We certainly have a long way to go, and the surface stats don't add up -- yet. But progress has to start somewhere.
I believe that in the past decade we've set the stage for a revolution in the way we approach obesity -- both clinically and on a population level. When obesity rates begin to decline, we'll look back at this decade as having sown the seeds for success. It's not going to be easy, but I like our chances.
And I look forward to CDC's next report -- due in 2021 -- in which I'm confident obesity treatment and prevention will claim a prominent ranking.
Scott Kahan, M.D., M.P.H.; www.scottkahan.com
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William Anderson, LMHC
Author of 'The Anderson Method - Secrets of Permanent Weight Loss'
www.TheAndersonMethod.com
Worth noting: the same elements you list here have made progress in cancer treatment possible.
For example: public/private collaboration (the Natl Cancer Institute), recognition that the causes are more complex than we thought (non-smokers do get lung cancer, people who avoid the sun develop melanoma, removing the body part where the first tumor is spotted doesn't necessarily prevent spread or recurrence), etc., etc.
No argument, obesity is a serious and tough issue. But the time's come to acknowledge that our collective simplistic, single-cause explanations and solutions are wrong. If they were right, all the decades of effort based on those beliefs would surely have produced results by now - if they were actually well-founded beliefs.
Instead, I guess we'll have to do it the old-fashioned way, using the building blocks you describe in this post: solutions-oriented discussion rather than name-calling, actual research into root causes instead of anecdotes, combined efforts focused on the goal rather than pockets of disconnected activity, and so on.
Sorry, but the only thing that matters is the actual rate of obesity and that's getting worse. And since that is happening in concert with all these things the "experts" think is good, it's very likely that their idea of progress is actually contributing to the epidemic.
"Practitioners are slowly moving beyond simply lecturing patients to "eat less, exercise more," and thinking about the underlying causes and contributors of individuals' weight problems." And "More information is now available than ever before."
Yep and those trends in thinking have exactly coincided with the rise of obesity. In the 60's when virtually everything we ate was what is now considered criminally fattening, when a person gained a few pounds they'd say "oops, I better eat less and get some exercise or soon I'll be 50 pounds overweight. Nowadays they have tons of "information" that make it seem like being fit is nearly impossible and keep right on consuming more calories than they burn until they're 100 pounds overweight.
And, for a unique "Yogic" Weight Loss retreat this December in Thailand, "Gut Busters Boot Camp!" http://bit.ly/mUyVjx.
Featuring:
1. Physical practices of warrior yoga and other rigorous exercises (appropriate for all)
2. Ayurvedic wisdom on natural eating, raising digestive fire and daily routines that will keep you well nourished and simultaneously fit.
3. Sauhu - mental health services through the lens of natural wisdom that will address the "reasons" and compulsions that have compelled you to over-eat and/or carry unnatural weight.
Best wishes,
-Yogi
Energy of Mind: A Sauhu Therapy.
www.energyofmindtherapy.com
Natural Wisdom for Optimal Health and Happiness:
We can do more than just talk about it!
In todays contentious environment it appears that some on the right don't think we should use our government in any effort to address our problems, except to limit our reproductive choices.
Look into local HS, Parochial School or Colleges. Many offer hours to the public as a gratis or low fee service. Don't be surprised. Even fire departments and public safety buildings have equipment.
As a born again weight watcher, I know you have to work both sides of the equation. You can't control your weight with either diet or exercise alone. We must get more exercise into the daily lives of our kids, while helping them eat better.
www.elizabethfarrar.com
I think obesity is a great scare tactic. Do people really care what cholesterol level and blood pressure numbers Mr. Chicken McNugget at 300lbs. has? No. How he looks bothers the eye more.
Obesity does not cause heart attacks or diabetes. Obesity is just another symptom of poor dietary decisions. For some people, those dietary decisions lead just as surely to ill health even if their own genetics let them not get fat.
We need to stop fixating on peoples visible shape and get the junk out of our food supply.
This does absolutely nothing to reverse the problem. The Obesity problem will get much worst than this
Why?
The United Staes Food Manufactures have become rich by poisoning the food with Chemicals(Fake food as High Fructose Corn Syrup,Hormones and Steroids are all in the food)
The USA will never admit to this poisoning of the people.
Want to lose weight? Yahoo News showed everybody the secret is to use a specialized diabetes diet.
This was reported on PhillyBurb News SEE HERE http://www.phillyburbs.com/your_news/blogs/how-to-lose-weight-fast-yahoo-tells-you-a-secret/article_d3553c4c-d32a-11e0-b05d-0017a48e13f8.html
You know the commercials, the ones the FDA has scolded them about but still air....
Not like the FDA has any credibility.....