Highlights from the New IOM Report on Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention

Background and Purpose: The epidemic of overweight and obesity in the United States has substantial and long-term human and societal costs. Treating obesity after it develops is difficult and despite major health improvements in other areas that have been achieved over the past century, relatively slow progress has been made in reversing national obesity rates. While a large number of promising population-based programs and interventions are currently being supported, implemented, and evaluated, there is a growing need to identify a set of obesity prevention actions that can accelerate meaningful change on a societal level. The Institute of Medicine's (IOM) Committee on Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention was convened to address this urgent need. This presentation will review the Committee's recommendations. Methods: The committee was tasked to review past obesity prevention-related recommendations, identify a set of evidence-based recommendations determined to be critical intervention targets for making substantive progress in obesity prevention over the next decade, and to recommend indicators to act as markers of progress in implementing these actions. Results: The Committee's report will be released in May 2012. The presentation will provide an overview of the committee's evidence-based recommendations, strategies, and action steps; an explanation of the committee's decision-making process in forming the recommendations; and a discussion that would inform attendees on how they can disseminate and help to implement the recommendations in their spheres of influence. Conclusions: With obesity rates at epidemic levels, obesity prevention actions that can accelerate meaningful change on a societal level are urgently needed.