Population-wide approach needed to curb obesity

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A broad range of policy and environmental initiatives at the local, state and federal levels aimed at increasing physical activity and healthful eating is needed to reduce rates of obesity in the United States, according to an American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement in the Association's journal Circulation, published Monday.

In an AHA-issued press release, Dr. Shiriki Kumanyika, chair of the working group that wrote the scientific statement "Population-Based Prevention of Obesity," noted that "almost all of our current eating or activity patterns are those that promote weight gain -- using the least possible amount of energy or maximizing quantity rather than quality in terms of food." Click here for full article.