Obesity and the Economics of Prevention: Fit not Fat
OECD and World Health Organization. WHO – 2010
Health Ministers will discuss this report when they meet at the OECD on 7-8 October 2010 in
Website: http://bit.ly/c25jeB
“…..OECD’s new report examines the scale and characteristics of the current obesity epidemic, the respective roles and influences of market forces and governments, and the impact of interventions to tackle obesity.
The report presents for the first time analyses and comparisons of the most detailed data on obesity available from 11 OECD countries. It includes a unique analysis of the health and economic impact of a range of interventions to tackle obesity in 5 countries, carried out jointly by the OECD and the World Health Organization. WHO…”
“…..Obesity has risen to the top of the public health policy agenda worldwide. Before 1980, rates were generally well below 10%. They have since doubled or tripled in many countries, and in almost half of the OECD, 50% or more of the population is overweight. A key risk factor for numerous chronic diseases, obesity is a major public health concern.
There is a popular perception that explanations for the obesity epidemic are simple and solutions within reach. But the data reveal a more complicated picture, one in which even finding objective evidence on the phenomenon is difficult. Policy makers, health professionals and academics all face challenges in understanding the epidemic and devising effective counter strategies.
This book contributes to evidence-based policy making by exploring multiple dimensions of the obesity problem. It examines the scale and characteristics of the epidemic, the respective roles and influence of market forces and governments, and the impact of interventions. It outlines an economic approach to the prevention of chronic diseases that provides novel insights relative to a more traditional public health approach….”
Executive Summary: http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/21/19/46004918.pdf
Chapter 1. Introduction: Obesity and the Economics of Prevention
• Obesity: The extent of the problem
• Obesity, health and longevity
• The economic costs of obesity
• The implications for social welfare and the role of prevention
• What economic analyses can contribute
• The book’s main conclusions
• Overview of the remaining chapters
•
Chapter 2. Obesity: Past and Projected Future Trends
• Obesity in the OECD and beyond
• Measuring obesity
• Historical trends in height, weight and obesity
• Cohort patterns in overweight and obesity
• Projections of obesity rates up to 2020
Chapter 3. The Social Dimensions of Obesity
• Obesity in different social groups
• Obesity in men and women
• Obesity at different ages
• Obesity and socio-economic condition
• Obesity in different racial and ethnic groups
• Does obesity affect employment, wages and productivity?
• Special Focus II. The Size and Risks of the International Epidemic of Child Obesity (by Tim Lobstein)
Chapter 4. How Does Obesity Spread?
• The determinants of health and disease
• The main driving forces behind the epidemic
• Market failures in lifestyle choices
• The social multiplier effect: Clustering of obesity within households, peer groups and social networks
• Special Focus III. Are Health Behaviors Driven by Information? (by Donald Kenkel)
Chapter 5. Tackling Obesity: The Roles of Governments and Markets
• What can governments do to improve the quality of our choices?
• Government policies on diet and physical activity in the OECD area
• Private sector responses: Are markets adjusting to the new challenges?
• Special Focus IV. Community Interventions for the Prevention of Obesity (by Francesco Branca)
Chapter 6. The Impact of Interventions
• What interventions really work?
• Cost-effectiveness analysis: A generalised approach
• Effects of the interventions on obesity, health and life expectancy
• The costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions
• Strategies involving multiple interventions
• Distributional impacts of preventive interventions
• From modelling to policy: Key drivers of success
• Special Focus V. Regulation of Food Advertising to Children: the
• Special Focus VI. The Case for Self-Regulation in Food Advertising (by Stephan Loerke)
Chapter 7. Information, Incentives and Choice: A Viable Approach to Preventing Obesity
• Tackling the obesity problem
• Populations or individuals?
• Changing social norms .
• A multi-stakeholder approach
• How much individual choice?
Authors:
Franco Sassi – Senior Health Economist and main author of the report
Michele Cecchini – Health Policy Analyst and co-author
Marion Devaux – Statistician and co-author
* * *
This message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO, is part of an effort to disseminate
information Related to: Equity; Health inequality; Socioeconomic inequality in health; Socioeconomic
health differentials; Gender; Violence; Poverty; Health Economics; Health Legislation; Ethnicity; Ethics;
Information Technology - Virtual libraries; Research & Science issues. [DD/ KMC Area]
“Materials provided in this electronic list are provided "as is". Unless expressly stated otherwise, the findings
and interpretations included in the Materials are those of the authors and not necessarily of The Pan American
Health Organization PAHO/WHO or its country members”.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PAHO/WHO Website
Equity List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
Twitter http://twitter.com/eqpaho
IMPORTANT: This transmission is for use by the intended
recipient and it may contain privileged, proprietary or
confidential information. If you are not the intended
recipient or a person responsible for delivering this
transmission to the intended recipient, you may not
disclose, copy or distribute this transmission or take
any action in reliance on it. If you received this transmission
in error, please dispose of and delete this transmission.
Thank you.
No comments:
Post a Comment