We were just talking about strategies to prevent obesity instead of focusing efforts, especially for children, on treating obesity. I just saw a report that the IOM wants to encourage changing the environmental and societal factors that they believe contribute to obesity: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/08/usa-health-obesity-idUSL1E8G74K720120508

"In an ambitious 478-page report, the IOM refutes the idea that obesity is largely the result of a lack of willpower on the part of individuals. Instead, it embraces policy proposals that have met with stiff resistance from the food industry and lawmakers, arguing that multiple strategies will be needed to make the U.S. environment less "obesogenic."

Some of the strategies they recommend are building more sidewalks and trails to encourage people to walk more often, requiring 60 minutes of physical education or activity every day for all schools, banning sugar-sweetened beverages in schools and making drinking water easily available in schools. The IOM also encourages including healthy foods and beverages everywhere food is provided, including shopping malls and sports facilities with the idea of giving people healthy choices and options.

The full IOM report is here:  http://www.iom.edu/Reports/2012/Accelerating-Progress-in-Obesity-Prevention.aspx

I think it's great that the IOM is addressing environmental change to promote health and healthy weight, but I'm not sure that we're actually moving from treatment to prevention. Thoughts?

In my opinion, yes, societal factors must be changed...meaning the EDUCATION of children AND adults on the basics of healthy, lower calorie eating.  Enviromental changes referred to above are meaningless.  If someone wants to walk, they can....this does NOT require sidewalks, for goodness sake!  Lack of sidewalks is just an excuse that people use not to walk.  

Getting back to basic education on lower calorie choices, I JUST got done eating a buffet meal at a casino hotel in Joliet, IL, my hometown (I'm sitting at a PC in the hotel business office).  Guess what the name of the buffet restaurant is:  "PAULA DEEN'S KITCHEN".  Can you believe it...meaning after all the blog posts we had recently on Ms. Dean!

I tried to find a NON-fried or lower fat protein on the buffet bar, but could not.  My choices (as I sit here bloated to the gills) were:  fried catfish. fried shrimp, bar-b-q ribs, fried chicken, and prime rib.

The side dishes were just as bad: mac and cheese, sour cream mashed potatoes, cheesey biscuits, green beans with bacon, etc.

IF people are NOT educated on lower calorie choices, they are risk for obesity. 

That's my 2 cents.

Signed,

Stuffed and uncomfortable on high fat, high calorie food,

Mary Ann Hodorowicz, RD. CDE, MBA. CEC

Just tonight I got a survey from my town re: the "walking" issues in the town.  They wanted to know about the sidewalks, lights, habits etc.  It reminds me of the three stooges skit: step by step, inch by inch, slowly we turn!!!!

I guess the restaurant lived up to it's name Mary Ann! It's great that your town is at least asking for feedback about walking opportunities Joan. There's an interesting story in a recent issue of Runner's World magazine looking at schools that prohibit kids riding their bikes to school for safety reasons - lack of bicycle lanes, too much traffic, etc. In my mind, making it simple and safe for kids to walk and bike to school is one of the first preventive steps communities can take to prevent obesity and encourage life-long activity.

The sidewalks idea is actually a good one for increasing safe walking in many states. In an ADA Post Grad Course a few years ago, i was amazed at how many participants from other States remarked how wonderful it is to have so many sidewalks so you can walk everywhere. I have been a New Yorker all my life, and just took for granted that everyone has sidewalks.

also

I was appointed to the New York State Block Grant Advisory Committe years ago, and found that large grants had been given to some States to develop walking paths to encourage more opportunities to walk and improve cardiovascular health as well.