Reversing the Obesity Epidemic The Importance of Policy and Policy Research

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Keywords / Description:

The epidemic of obesity clearly falls in this category. Two thirds of Americans are obese or overweight. The doubling of obesity in America in the past 30 years has occurred not because humans or their genes have changed, but instead because the environment has changed to one that promotes energy storage as a default. The way to reverse this epidemic is by altering that environment again, through policy and system changes that make the new default behaviors those

that maintain energy balance.

Toolkit:

Chronic Disease Prevention Toolkit

Keyword Area:

Chronic Disease, Obesity, Policies

Jurisdiction:

Institutional Author:

Thomas A. Farley, MD, MPH, Gretchen Van Wye, PhD, MA

Submitted:

02/04/2013

Modified:

02/21/2013

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