New findings on stigma, treatment of childhood obesity

The nation's foremost experts in childhood and adolescent obesity are presenting the latest findings on this growing epidemic during Obesity: The Public Health Conference, Nov. 8-9 at Washington's Georgetown University Conference Center. Presentations from physicians and other health officials from such prominent institutions as Harvard, Stanford, CDC, NIH are making new presentations on the stigma, causes, prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity.

The prevalence of obesity for boys has tripled in 25 years and more than doubled for girls. Some 25 percent of children and adolescents are overweight, twice as many as 30 years ago. About 13 percent of children and 14 percent of adolescents are obese.

Obesity in children has been associated with such serious health conditions as asthma, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and heart disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this year that the death rate from heart disease has increased among young Americans, citing obesity as a probable cause.

Obesity: The Public Health Conference is a national conference for public health officials, policy leaders and physicians to hear about he latest developments in the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity, the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. The two-day conference is Nov. 8-9, 8:45 AM to 5:00 PM, at Georgetown University Conference Center, 3800 Reservoir Road in Washington.

The American Obesity Association, the conference's sponsor, is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 whose fundamental mission is to have obesity regarded as a disease of epidemic proportions.

Highlights of childhood and adolescent obesity presentations include:

Thursday, Nov. 8:

Causes of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity
Thomas Robinson, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University
11:15 AM

Stigma and Childhood Obesity
Janet Latner, Department of Psychology, Rutgers University
11:40 AM

Intervention in Adolescents With Obesity
Steven Gortmaker, Ph.D., Senior Lecturer, Department of Health & Social
Behavior, Harvard University
12:00 PM

The Development of Eating Disorders and Obesity in Adolescents
Susan Yanovski, MD, Director, Obesity and Eating Disorders Program,
National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases, NIH
2:30 PM

Reimbursement for Treatment of Children and Adolescents
Andrew M. Tershakovec, MD, Division of Gastroenterology and Nutrition,
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
2:50 PM

Parent-Child Interaction on Eating, Weight and Physical Activity
Karen Miller-Kovach, MBA, MS, RD, Chief Scientist & General Manager of
Research & Development, Weight Watchers International, Inc.
3:10 PM

Reducing the Risk of Obesity in Public School
Cathy Nonas, MS, RD, St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital Center
4:00 PM

Friday, Nov. 9:

Developments in Obesity Treatment for Children and Adults
A. Drugs and Dietary Supplements
Steven Heymsfield, MD, Deputy Director, St. Luke's/Roosevelt Hospital's
Obesity Research Center
B. Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatment of Adolescent Obesity
Robert Berkowitz, MD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry & Pediatrics,
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
9:20 AM

Developing an Agenda for Prevention & Treatment of Child & Adolescent
Obesity
William Dietz, MD, Ph.D., Director, Centers for Disease Control's
Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity/National Center for Chronic
Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
10:00 AM

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