Will human rights commissions consider obesity prevention a basic human right?

This paper will explore the readiness and willingness of five US human rights commissions (HRCs) to consider obesity prevention a basic human right, and to introduce a model obesity prevention resolution. According to WHO, “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being." However, the vast majority of HRCs in the US have narrower mission statements, focused on discrimination in the workplace, housing, and public accommodations; other fair application of law; affirmative action; diversity; hate crime/targeted violence; and related monitoring, investigation, mediation, resolution, and enforcement functions. Few HRCs specifically target health-related rights, disparities, or health equity. Presumably most HRCs would not consider obesity prevention within their purview. However, more than two-thirds of adults in the US are overweight or obese, a troubling number expected to grow unless effective obesity prevention efforts are implemented. One approach is to pass an obesity prevention resolution at a local city council. However, such resolutions might also prove successful at HRCs, thanks to leadership from WHO and other international organizations, as well as recent local developments, such as the creation of an Equity Advisory Committee at San Francisco's HRC and a partnership between the Jacksonville HRC and its County health department to spotlight unequal distribution of health and its causes. This paper will analyze the responses of at least five HRCs that are approached to introduce and pass a model obesity prevention resolution, and identify the best practices for adopting this approach with local HRCs.