DOC News July 1, 2004
Volume 1 Number 1 p. 13
© 2004 American Diabetes Association
OBESITY POLICIES ADOPTED AT AMA ANNUAL MEETING
Delegates at the American Medical Association (AMA) annual meeting in Juneadopted several new policies aimed at helping combat the nation's growingproblem of obesity and poor dietary habits. However, a highly anticipatedmeasure calling for government to acknowledge obesity as a distinct diseaseentity was put on hold for the time being.
A new AMA policy recognizes that racial and ethnic disparities exist in theprevalence of obesity and related conditions, and recommends that physiciansuse culturally responsive care to improve treatment. Nutritional and dietaryresearch should include cultural and socioeconomic considerations, accordingto the policy. Additionally, dietary guidelines should include ethnic foodsand multicultural symbols to depict serving sizes.
The medical group also passed a policy calling for a requirement forrestaurants to provide nutritional information to help patrons make smartermeal choices. Work and school cafeterias and restaurants would be required tolist the ingredients of their menu items.
A resolution seeking AMA support for restricting snacks and sodas inschools was rejected in favor of another that reaffirms the group's policy onhealthy eating and advocates at least 30 minutes of daily free play orphysical education in elementary schools.
Delegates voted to table for 1 year a resolution that urges the governmentto recognize obesity as a "disease unto itself" and end thedisparity of treatment under New York State's Medicare system. At present,Medicare covers bariatric surgery only if a beneficiary is morbidly obese,with a body mass index (BMI) above 40, and also hascomorbidities.
The proposed resolution would urge Medicare to treat obesity based on BMIalone, without a patient developing complications before the disease istreated. Delegates are expected to reconsider the issue after the AMA holds ameeting on obesity this fall.
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