A critical analysis of obesity prevention policies and strategies

Canadian Journal of Public Health

Volumn 108, Issue 5-6, 2017, Pages e598-e608

  Ramos Salas, Ximena ^a   Forhan, Mary ^a   Caulfield, Timothy ^a   Sharma, Arya M ^a   Raine, Kim ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA   (Canada)

Author keywords

Obesity; Policy; Public health; Weight bias

Indexed keywords

EID: 85040915514     PISSN: 00084263     EISSN: 19207476     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.17269/cjph.108.6044     Document Type: Article

References (69)

1. World Health Organization. Obesity: Preventing and Managing the Global Epidemic. Report of a WHO Consultation. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2000; 0512-3054.
2. Curbing Childhood Obesity: A Federal, Provincial and Territorial Framework for Action to Promote Healthy Weights, 2011. Available at: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/healthy-living/curbing-childhoodobesity-federal-provincial-territorial-framework/curbing-childhood-obesityoverview-federal-provincial-territorial-framework-action-promote-healthyweights.html (Accessed November 28, 2017).
3. Stephens SK, Cobiac LJ, Veerman JL. Improving diet and physical activity to reduce population prevalence of overweight and obesity: An overview of current evidence. Prev Med 2014; 62: 167-78. PMID: 24534460. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.02.008.
4. Bacon L, Aphramor L. Weight science: Evaluating the evidence for a paradigm shift. Nutr J 2011; 10: 9. PMID: 21261939. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-9.
5. Finegood DT, Merth TDN, Rutter H. Implications of the foresight obesity system map for solutions to childhood obesity. Obesity 2010; 18: S13-16. PMID: 20107455. doi: 10.1038/oby.2009.426.
6. Walls HL, Peeters A, Proietto J, McNeil JJ. Public health campaigns and obesity -A critique. BMC Public Health 2011; 11(1): 136. PMID: 21352562. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-11-136.
7. McPhail D. Resisting biopedagogies of obesity in a problem population: Understandings of healthy eating and healthy weight in a Newfoundland and Labrador community. Crit Public Health 2013; 23(3): 289-303. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2013.797566.
8. Lewis S, Thomas SL, Hyde J, Castle D, Blood RW, Komesaroff PA. “I don’t eat a hamburger and large chips every day!" A qualitative study of the impact of public health messages about obesity on obese adults. BMC Public Health 2010; 10: 309. PMID: 20525310. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-10-309.
9. Kirk SFL, Price SL, Penney TL, Rehman L, Lyons RF, Piccinini-Vallis H, et al. Blame, shame, and lack of support: A multilevel study on obesity management. Qual Health Res 2014; 24(6): 790-800. PMID: 24728109. doi: 10.1177/1049732314529667.
10. Beausoleil N, Ward P. Fat panic in Canadian public health policy: Obesity as different and unhealthy. Radical Psychol J Psychol Politics Radicalism 2009; 8(1): 5.
11. Puhl RM, Heuer CA. The stigma of obesity: A review and update. Obesity 2009; 17(5): 941-64. PMID: 19165161. doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.636.
12. Sutin AR, Stephan Y, Terracciano A. Weight discrimination and risk of mortality. Psychol Sci 2015; 26(11): 1803-11. PMID: 26420442. doi: 10.1177/0956797615601103.
13. Thibodeau PH, Perko VL, Flusberg SJ. The relationship between narrative classification of obesity and support for public policy interventions. Soc Sci Med 2015; 141: 27-35. PMID: 26246031. doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2015.07.023.
14. Puhl RM, Schwartz MB, Brownell KD. Impact of perceived consensus on stereotypes about obese people: A new approach for reducing bias. Health Psychol 2005; 24(5): 517-25. PMID: 16162046. doi: 10.1037/0278-6133.24.5.517.
15. Pomeranz JL. A historical analysis of public health, the law, and stigmatized social groups: The need for both obesity and weight bias legislation. Obesity 2008; 16(Suppl 2): S93-103. PMID: 18978770. doi: 10.1038/oby.2008.452.
16. Bombak AE. The contribution of applied social sciences to obesity stigma-related public health approaches. J Obes 2014; 2014: 267286. PMID: 24782921. doi: 10.1155/2014/267286.
17. Bacchi CL. Analysing Policy: What’s the problem represented to be? 1st ed. Frenchs Forest, NSW: Pearson, 2014.
18. Labonte R, Polanyi M, Muhajarine N, McIntosh T, Williams A. Beyond the divides: Towards critical population health research. Crit Public Health 2005; 15(1): 5-17. doi: 10.1080/09581590500048192.
19. Canadian Medical Association. Canadian Medical Association Recognizes Obesity as a Disease. Ottawa, ON: CMA, 2015. Available at: https://www.cma.ca/En/Pages/cma-recognizes-obesity-as-a-disease.aspx (Accessed November 28, 2017).
20. Canadian Obesity Network. 5As of Obesity Management Framework and Resources, 2013; Vol. 2013. Available at: http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/5As (Accessed November 28, 2017).
21. Report Card on Access to Obesity Treatment for Adults in Canada 2017. Canadian Obesity Network, 2017. Available at: http://www.obesitynetwork.ca/reportcard (Accessed November 28, 2017).
22. Bray GA, Kim KK, Wilding JPH. Obesity: A chronic relapsing progressive disease process. A position statement of the World Obesity Federation. Obes Rev 2017; 18(7): 715-23. PMID: 28489290. doi: 10.1111/obr.12551.
23. Hatzenbuehler ML, Phelan JC, Link BG. Stigma as a fundamental cause of population health inequalities. Am J Public Health 2013; 103(5): 813-21. PMID: 23488505. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2012.301069.
24. Nutter S, Russell-Mayhew S, Alberga AS, Arthur N, Kassan A, Lund DE, et al. Positioning of weight bias: Moving towards social justice. J Obes 2016; 2016: 3753650. PMID: 27747099. doi: 10.1155/2016/3753650.
25. Munter A, Murumets KD. No Time to Wait. The Healthy Kids Strategy. Toronto, ON, 2013; 9781-460610145. Available at: http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/common/ministry/publications/reports/healthy_kids/healthy_kids.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
26. LeBesco K. Neoliberalism, public health, and the moral perils of fatness. Crit Public Health 2011; 21(2): 153-64. doi: 10.1080/09581596.2010.529422.
27. Thrive! A Plan for a Healthier Nova Scotia: A Policy and Environmental Approach to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity. Communications Nova Scotia for the Department of Health and Wellness, 2012; 9781-554574865. Available at: https://thrive.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/Thrive-Strategy-Document.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
28. Lefebvre CM, John RM. The effect of breastfeeding on childhood overweight and obesity: A systematic review of the literature. J Am Assoc Nurse Pract 2014; 26(7): 386-401. PMID: 24170411. doi: 10.1002/2327-6924.12036.
29. Friedman M. Mother blame, fat shame, and moral panic: “Obesity” and child welfare. Fat Stud 2015; 4(1): 14-27. doi: 10.1080/21604851.2014.927209.
30. Lean MEJ. Chapter 5: Childhood habits and the obesity epidemic. In: Haslam DW, Sharma AM, Le Roux CW (Eds.), Controversies in Obesity. London, UK: Springer, 2014; 31-43.
31. Malson H, Riley S, Markula P. Beyond psychopathology: Interrogating (dis) orders of body weight and body management. J Community Appl Soc Psychol 2009; 19(5): 331-35. doi: 10.1002/casp.1019.
32. Yukon Active Living Strategy. Yukon Government, Yukon Community Services, Sport Recreation Branch, 2012. Available at: http://www.community.gov.yk.ca/pdf/ryals_final.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
33. Frood S, Johnston LM, Matteson CL, Finegood DT. Obesity, complexity, and the role of the health system. Curr Obes Rep 2013; 2: 320-26. PMID: 24273701. doi: 10.1007/s13679-013-0072-9.
34. Chandaria SA. Chapter 8: The emerging paradigm shift in understanding the causes of obesity. In: Haslam DW, Sharma AM, Le Roux CW (Eds.), Controversies in Obesity. London, UK: Springer, 2014; 63-73.
35. Kirk SFL, Penney TL, McHugh TLF, Sharma AM. Effective weight management practice: A review of the lifestyle intervention evidence. Int J Obes 2012; 36(2): 178-85. PMID: 21487396. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2011.80.
36. Choose Program: Healthy Choices for Healthy Communities-Healthy Eating and Healthy Weight Guide. Government of Northwest Territories, 2011. Available at: http://www.hss.gov.nt.ca/sites/www.hss.gov.nt.ca/files/resources/healthyeating-healthy-weight-guide.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
37. Puhl R, Luedicke J, Peterson JL. Public reactions to obesity-related health campaigns: A randomized controlled trial. Am J Prev Med 2013; 45: 36-48. PMID: 23790987. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.02.010.
38. Major B, Hunger JM, Bunyan DP, Miller CT. The ironic effects of weight stigma. J Exp Soc Psychol 2014; 51: 74-80. doi: 10.1016/j.jesp.2013.11.009.
39. Pearl RL, Dovidio JF, Puhl RM, Brownell KD. Exposure to weight-stigmatizing media: Effects on exercise intentions, motivation, and behavior. J Health Commun 2015; 20(9): 1004-13. PMID: 26222998. doi: 10.1080/10810730.2015.1018601.
40. Pearl RL, Puhl RM. The distinct effects of internalizing weight bias: An experimental study. Body Image 2016; 17: 38-42. PMID: 26927688. doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.002.
41. Bowen S, Elliott S, Brenton J. The joy of cooking? Contexts 2014; 13(3): 20-25. doi: 10.1177/1536504214545755.
42. Boswell J. ‘Hoisted with our own petard’: Evidence and democratic deliberation on obesity. Policy Sci 2014; 47(4): 345-65. doi: 10.1007/s11077-014-9195-4.
43. Live Well, Be Well: New Brunswick’s Wellness Strategy Action Plan (2009-2013). New Brunswick Department of Wellness, Culture & Sport, 2009. Available at: http://www2.gnb.ca/content/dam/gnb/Departments/sd-ds/pdf/Wellness-MieuxEtre/NewBrunswickWellnessStrategy2009-2013.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
44. Healthier Together: A Strategic Health Plan for Newfoundland and Labrador. St. John’s, NL: Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Community Health Services, 2003. Available at: http://www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/publications/healthytogetherdocument.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
45. Forhan M, Ramos Salas X. Inequities in healthcare: A review of bias and discrimination in obesity treatment. Can J Diabetes 2013; 37(3): 205-9. PMID: 24070845. doi: 10.1016/j.jcjd.2013.03.362.
46. Ellison J. Weighing in: The “evidence of experience” and Canadian fat women’s activism. Can Bull Med Hist 2013; 30(1): 55-75. PMID: 28155520. doi: 10.3138/cbmh.30.1.55.
47. Kuk JL, Ardern CI. Are metabolically normal but obese individuals at lower risk for all-cause mortality? Diabetes Care 2009; 32(12): 2297-99. PMID: 19729521. doi: 10.2337/dc09-0574.
48. Sharma A. Why redefine obesity? Blog, 2017. Available at: http://www.drsharma.ca/why-redefine-obesity (Accessed June 2, 2017).
49. Sharma AM, Campbell-Scherer D. Redefining obesity: Beyond the numbers. Obesity 2017; 25(4): 660-61. PMID: 28349662. doi: 10.1002/oby.21801.
50. Glenn NM, Champion CC, Spence JC. Qualitative content analysis of online news media coverage of weight loss surgery and related reader comments. Clin Obes 2012; 2(5-6): 125-31. PMID: 25586247. doi: 10.1111/cob.12000.
51. Brochu PM, Pearl RL, Puhl RM, Brownell KD. Do media portrayals of obesity influence support for weight-related medical policy?. Health Psychol 2014; 33: 197-200. PMID: 23668850. doi: 10.1037/a0032592.
52. Freedhoff Y, Sharma AM. “Lose 40 pounds in 4 weeks”: Regulating commercial weight-loss programs. CMAJ 2009; 180: 367-68. PMID: 19221340. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.090071.
53. Summary Report: From Weight to Well-Being: Time for a Shift in Paradigms? A Discussion Paper on the Inter-Relationships Among Obesity, Overweight, Weight Bias and Mental Well-Being. British Columbia Provincial Health Services Authority, Population Public Health Program, 2013. Available at: http://www.phsa.ca/population-public-health-site/Documents/W2WBTechnicalReport_20130208FINAL.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
54. Healthy Families British Columbia Policy Framework: A Focused Approach to Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention. Victoria, BC: Ministry of Health, 2014. Available at: http://www.health.gov.bc.ca/library/publications/year/2014/healthy-families-bc-policy-framework.pdf (Accessed October 24, 2014).
55. James WPT. WHO recognition of the global obesity epidemic. Int J Obes 2008; 32(Suppl 7): S120-26. PMID: 19136980. doi: 10.1038/ijo.2008.247.
56. World Health Organization. Report of the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2016. ISBN 978 92 4 151006 6. Available at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/204176/1/9789241510066_eng.pdf?ua=1 (Accessed November 28, 2017).
57. Prince Edward Island Strategy for Healthy Living. Charlottetown, PE: Department of Health Social Services, 2002. Available at: http://www.gov.pe.ca/photos/original/hss_hl_strategy.pdf (Accessed November 28, 2017).
58. Wellness Alberta. A Wellness Foundation for Alberta: It’s About Health. It’s About Time. Edmonton, AB: Wellness Alberta, 2015. Available at: http://www.wellnessalberta.ca/position-paper.html (Accessed November 28, 2017).
59. Canadian Public Health Association. Making the Economic Case for Investing in Public Health and the SDH. Ottawa, ON: CPHA, 2016. Available at: https://www.cpha.ca/making-economic-case-investing-public-health-and-sdh (Accessed November 28, 2017).
60. Kyle T, Puhl R. Pervasive Bias: An Obstacle to Obesity Solutions. Commentary. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine Roundtable on Obesity Solutions, 2014; Vol. 2014.
61. British Columbia Northern Health Position on Health, Weight and Obesity: An Integrated Population Health Approach. Prince George, BC: British Columbia Northern Health, 2012. Available at: https://northernhealth.ca/Portals/0/About/PositionPapers/documents/HealthWtObesityPosition_20120730_WEB.pdf.
62. Dietz WH, Solomon LS, Pronk N, Ziegenhorn SK, Standish M, Longjohn MM, et al. An integrated framework for the prevention and treatment of obesity and its related chronic diseases. Health Aff 2015; 34(9): 1456-63. PMID: 26355046. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2015.0371.
63. Alberta Health Services. Obesity Initiative. Edmonton, AB, 2011. Available at: http://www.albertahealthservices.ca/news/releases/2011/Page5670.aspx (Accessed November 28, 2017).
64. Kuk JL, Ardern CI, Church TS, Sharma AM, Padwal R, Sui X, et al. Edmonton Obesity Staging System: Association with weight history and mortality risk. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2011; 36(4): 570-76. PMID: 21838602. doi: 10.1139/h11-058.
65. Bacon L, Aphramor L. Weight science: Evaluating the evidence for a paradigm shift. Nutr J 2011; 10(1): 9. PMID: 21261939. doi: 10.1186/1475-2891-10-9.
66. WHO. Global Plan of Action on Social Determinants of Health, 2017. Available at: http://www.who.int/social_determinants/action_sdh/en/ (Accessed June 2, 2017).
67. WHO. HEALTH21: The Health for all Policy Framework for the WHO European Region, 1999. Available at: http://www.euro.who.int/en/publications/abstracts/health21-the-health-for-all-policy-framework-for-the-who-european-region (Accessed June 2, 2017).
68. Puhl RM, Liu S. A national survey of public views about the classification of obesity as a disease. Obesity 2015; 23(6): 1288-95. PMID: 25970728. doi: 10.1002/oby.21068.
69. Kyle T. Reducing Weight Bias: Identifying Obesity as a Chronic Disease Helps, 2017. Available at: http://conscienhealth.org/2017/04/reducing-weight-biasheres-pretty-strong-clue/ (Accessed June 2, 2017).