Large changes needed to address global obesit...( PROVIDENCE R.I. [Brown University] ...),Health

PROVIDENCE, R.I. [Brown University] According to Rena Wing, professor of psychiatry and human behavior at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and director of the Weight Control & Diabetes Research Center at The Miriam Hospital, people who are most successful in preventing weight gain, and dieters who lose weight and keep the pounds off, have made major changes in their in diet and exercise routines.

Using new research findings, Wing will make her case for big behavioral changes to stave off weight gain at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), the worlds largest general scientific society.

At the meeting, held in Boston, Wing takes part in a Feb. 17, 2008 symposium titled Fighting the Global Obesity Epidemic: Small Steps or Big Changes" The symposium runs from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. in Room 208 of the Hynes Convention Center. Wing will also attend a Feb. 17, 2008 press briefing on the topic of childhood obesity and nutrition. The briefing kicks off at 11 a.m. in Room 212 of the Hynes Convention Center.

We live in an obesogenic environment that relies heavily on fast food, automobiles, and remote controls all which can be labeled as toxic to maintaining a healthy body weight, Wing said. With our research, we want to determine the most successful strategies for maintaining a nor-mal weight in this toxic environment. Weve found that bigger changes are needed for success.

Along with James Hill of the University of Colorado Denver, Wing founded the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), the largest prospective investigation of long-term successful weight loss maintenance in the world. The registry includes data on more than 5,000 men and women who have, on average, lost 70 pounds and kept the weight off for six years.

At the symposium, Wing and Hill will present alternative views of how to best address the obe-sity epidemic. The crisis is worldwide in scop
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