Conference Highlights

Highlights of the AOA’s first conference, Obesity: The Public Health Crisis held in Washington, D.C. on September 15-16, 1999 included:

Conference highlights included:

• A welcome speech by Sarah, Duchess of York,
• A keynote speech by the Surgeon General of the United States, David Satcher, M.D., and,
• An address by William Dietz, M.D., director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
• An address by John Porter, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services.

The conference was the first of its kind, focusing on public policy approaches to the obesity epidemic. A noteworthy mention is the significant attendance of women and minority groups among both presenters and registrants.

The conference established enhanced visibility of the AOA with key elements in government, health care, as well as the insurance industry, including the Association of American Health Plans, the National Committee for Quality Assurance and the Health Care Financing Administration. We also used this opportunity to open relationships with many governmental and private organizations concerned about health issues among women, minority groups and children. We continue to use these contacts and visibility to promote our mission.

The conference greatly exceeded our expectations. Initially planned for two hundred attendees, nearly four hundred registered. Strong positive statements about obesity came from both the Surgeon General and Congressman Porter, who chairs the committee that writes the budget for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education.

The conference was a major media event, with TV, radio and extensive newspaper reporting.

Agenda

Wednesday, September 15, 1999

7:00 a.m. Registration 7:30 a.m. Continental Breakfast Hosted by Sarah, The Duchess of York 8:15 a.m. Call to Order/Welcome Richard L. Atkinson, Jr., M.D. - AOA President and University of Wisconsin, professor of medicine and nutritional sciences 8:25 a.m. Introduction of Dr. David Satcher Peter Vash, M.D., M.P.H. - The Lindora Medical Clinic, executive medical director 8:30 a.m. Welcome Sarah, The Duchess of York 8:30 a.m. Opening Keynote David Satcher, M.D - Surgeon General of the U.S. and Assistant Secretary for Health SESSION A: What We Know About Obesity This session will address the scientific understanding of obesity, its causes, the extent of the epidemic, the health conditions affected by obesity, new data on the costs of obesity and directions for future intervention and prevention strategies. Moderator: Judith Stern, Sc.D., R.D. - AOA Vice President and University of California at Davis, professor of nutrition 9:00 a.m. Understanding Obesity: Bad Genes or Bad Behavior? Claude Bouchard, Ph.D. - Pennington Biomedical Research Center, executive director 9:40 a.m. Prevalence/Health and Social Consequences of Obesity Richard L. Atkinson, Jr., M.D. 10:20 a.m. The Direct Health Care Costs of Obesity Robert J. Rubin, M.D. - The Lewin Group, president 11:00 a.m. Break 11:20 a.m. Treating Obesity - What Works and What Doesn't Thomas Wadden, Ph.D. - University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, director of the Weight and Eating Disorders Program 12:00 p.m. Q & A for Morning Speakers 12:15 p.m. Luncheon 1:30 p.m. Future Direction for Prevention Strategies Janet Collins, Ph.D. - CDC, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, deputy director 1:50 p.m. Future Direction for Treatment Strategies Eric Ravussin, Ph.D. - Eli Lilly, director of endocrine research and clinical investigation 2:10 p.m. Overview of Federal Policy on Obesity Morgan Downey, J.D. - AOA, executive director SESSION B: Special Populations Obesity is especially prevalent among women, minority groups and is growing among children. These populations present unique aspects for prevention and intervention strategies. Moderator: Barbara Hansen, Ph.D. - University of Maryland School of Medicine, director of obesity and diabetes research center 2:30 p.m. Federal Initiatives in Child and Adolescent Healthy Behavior Duane Alexander, M.D. - NIH, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, director 3:00 p.m. Women Karen Miller-Kovach, M.B.A., M.S., R.D. - Weight Watchers' chief scientist and general manager of research and development Sherry Marts, Ph.D. - Society for the Advancement of Women's Health Research, scientific director 4:00 p.m. Children Dennis Styne, M.D. - University of California at Davis, professor and medical director of the Pediatric Weight Control Program 4:20 p.m. Break 4:40 p.m. Minorities June Stevens, Ph.D. - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology Elena Rios, M.D. - National Hispanic Medical Association, president 5:30 p.m. Q & A for Afternoon Speakers 6:00 p.m. Reception Thursday, September 16, 1999 7:30 a.m. Registration/Continental Breakfast 8:45 a.m. Call to Order 9:00 a.m. Presentation of AOA Action Plan on the Epidemic of Obesity Richard L. Atkinson, Jr., M.D. - AOA President and University of Wisconsin, professor of medicine and nutritional sciences 9:20 a.m. Reaction to AOA Action Plan (Interactive Session) 10:00 a.m. Break SESSION C: Future Directions in Obesity Research As a complex, multifactorial disorder, research on obesity must encompass not only the most advanced tools of molecular biology, genetics, metabolic function and behavioral interventions, but also draw upon the lessons learned in related fields of scientific exploration. Moderator: Richard L. Atkinson, Jr., M.D. 10:25 a.m. Women's Health Issues and Obesity Omega Silva, M.D. - American Medical Women's Association, vice president for program 10:55 a.m. Prevention Approaches for Children and Adults Barbara Moore, Ph.D. - Shape Up America, president/CEO 11:15 a.m. Q & A 11:30 a.m. Future Directions for Obesity Research Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., R.D. - AOA Vice President and University of California at Davis, professor of nutrition 12:00 p.m. Federal Funding of Research and Prevention The Honorable John E. Porter - U.S. Congressman, House of Representatives and senior member of the House Appropriations Committee 12:30 p.m. Lunch SESSION D: Access to Treatment Although obesity is well established as a cause of a host of health conditions, an anomaly exists in most public and private health care plans: the costs of conditions caused by obesity are covered but obesity treatments themselves (including preventive care, physician services, pharmacology and surgery) are either not covered or are secerley restricted. This session will explore this anomaly. Can obesity treatment actually save costs? Are persons with obesity excluded from purchasing health insurance? Would covering obesity treatment reward bad behavior and not produce cost savings? How do employees and insurers view obesity treatment today? Moderator: Arthur Frank, M.D. - George Washington University Weight Management Program, medical director 1:15 p.m. Role of the National Commission for Quality Assurance Dorothy Tucker, M.B.A., M.S.I.S. - National Commission for Quality Assurance, senior health care analyst in research and measure development 1:45 p.m. Access to Health Insurance Neil Hutcher, M.D. - American Society for Bariatric Surgery, chairman of the patient access committee 2:15 p.m. Medicare, Medicaid and Obesity Aron Primack, M.D. - Health Care Financing Administration, medical advisor 2:45 p.m. Break SESSION E: Disability and Consumer Protection Issues This afternoon session first examines obesity as a disability. When does obesity qualify as a disability? From the Americans with Disabilities Act to criteria for eligibility for Social Security Disability, this session will explore these sensitive issues. No less important are protections for consumers seeking assistance in their weight loss and weight maintenance efforts. New voluntary standards for the weight loss industry and the impact of dietary supplements for weight loss and their regulation will be covered. 3:00 p.m. Obesity as a Disability Walter Lindstrom, Jr., J.D. - Obesity Law and Advocacy Center, founder 3:40 p.m. Partnership for Healthy Weight Management Walter Gross, J.D. - Federal Trade Commission, Partnership for Healthy Weight Management's project manager Dietary Supplements Richard Cleland, J.D. - Federal Trade Commission, senior staff attorney Freddie Ann Hoffman - Food and Drug Administration 4:30 p.m. Closing