Institute of Medicine Releases Obesity Prevention Report Today

Chris Lindley, PSD

As you read this, hundreds of people are gathered in Washington, D.C. for a national forum: The Weight of the Nation. The purpose is to lift up policy and environmental strategies across the nation that are helping to reverse the obesity trend. Today, at the Weight of the Nation event, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a groundbreaking report: Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation.

The IOM considered how a set of core strategies, implemented collectively could accelerate progress on obesity prevention. These include:

• Making physical activity an integral and routine part of life 
• Creating food and beverage environments that ensure that healthy food and beverage options are the routine, easy choice 
• Transforming messages about physical activity and nutrition 
• Expanding the roles of health care providers, insurers and employers 
• Making schools a national focal point 

Stay tuned for more information, discussion and follow up about this evidence based, “systems approach” to obesity prevention and what vision and leadership it requires. Learn more about the Weight of the Nation forum from PSD staff who attended: Eric Aakko, Shana Patterson and Andrea Hoaglin. Read more online at http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obesity-Prevention.aspx

For more information on Colorado's obesity fight, there are several options.  As a winnable battle, Colorado has an obesity collaborative which anyone is interested to join and learn more about statewide news, activities and opportunities.  Too, as a part of the HBO Weight of the Nation series, Colorado obesity partners have conducted a series of Obesity Town Hall Sessions, videos of which are available online at http://new.livestream.com/cdphepsd/weightofco

For more information, contact Chris Lindley, Director, Prevention Services Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.