Sponsored by: Center for Human Potential and Public Policy and Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST)
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View the Policy of Obesity Panel >>
This year the Annual Lecture is part of a two-panel symposium. The first panel (3:30-5pm) will be focused on the science of obesity and the second panel (6-7:30pm), which will include the keynote lecture, will focus on the policy of obesity.
Agenda
Sponsors
Obesity is one of the greatest public health challenges for the 21st century and has been described as a global epidemic by the World Health Organization. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of U.S. adults and 17 percent of U.S. children are obese and the rates are getting worse. In Illinois people are more obese than they have ever been and the City of Chicago's Health Agenda states that on average Chicago children are twice as likely to be obese compared to other young children in the U.S.
Experts say that the major contributing factors to the obesity epidemic are complex and multiple, but lack of access to healthy, affordable food ("food deserts"), and uptake even when it is accessible, and insufficient physical activity are believed to be the most significant. These contributing factors are also influenced by particular regional, social, cultural, racial, economic, and environmental features. The health and socioeconomic consequences are staggering and far reaching. Research has shown that obesity is related to more than 20 major chronic diseases and conditions. Among other diseases, obesity increases the risks for heart disease, cancer and stroke as well as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and osteoarthritis. The poor overall health of Americans can lead to a less-productive workplace and the associated health problems have a significant economic impact on the U.S. health care system.
What are the health effects of being obese? What have scientists learned about the relationship between obesity and chronic conditions and diseases? How can we make healthier food choices? What can the government, community initiatives and individuals do in the face of the growing epidemic of obesity? What are the examples of model programs and interventions? What policies and programs exist to address the obesity epidemic in the Chicago region and what is lacking? How do local, national, and international food systems and industry impact this epidemic? And how can we improve our children's eating and physical activity habits?
The program will consist of two parts, both which will focus on the causes and implications of the obesity epidemic. In the first part, Chicago-based scientists will present the current science of obesity, describing the various ways obesity affects the body, and how our food choices can impact our health. They will also explore local and national health-determinant patterns. The second part will follow the format we typically have for our Annual Lecture on Science, Technology & Society. Keynote speaker Bechara Choucair, MD, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health will highlight the obesity problem and present his vision for a healthier Chicago. A panel of experts will respond to the Commissioner's talk, engaging the latest research on the impact of economic and environmental factors on obesity, as well as the challenges facing and potential roles of government, community organizations, private industry, and individuals to prevent and combat obesity and the long-term implications of this epidemic.
For more information, contact Laurel Spindel, Associate Director, Center for Human Potential and Public Policy at ljspinde@uchicago.edu or 773.702.3402.
