Health
NIH releases strategy for obesity epidemic fight
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 13, 2004
The National Institutes of Health announced last month the details of its research strategy that it hopes will lead to useful tools in the battle against obesity and related diseases.
The agency intends to explore what factors are contributing to the United States' "obesogenic" environment and develop behavioral, societal, pharmacologic and surgical interventions that may turn the tide. The agency also wants to organize interdisciplinary research teams to link the behavioral, environmental, genetic and biological causes of obesity. The NIH intends to intensify efforts to break the link between obesity and diseases that can be worsened or caused by obesity such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers and take a closer look at populations at high risk for obesity, such as ethnic minorities and older adults.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/09/13/hlbf0913.htm.