State of Obesity 2021: Better Policies for a Healthier America
November 10, 2021 • Briefing
On November 10, 2021, TFAH held a virtual congressional briefing and national webinar to explore findings from the State of Obesity 2021: Better Policies for a Healthier America report. The report examined how the social and economic factors linked to obesity were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The 18th annual report found that 16 states had adult obesity rates at 35 percent or higher, up from 12 states the year before.
Panelists covered the latest data on obesity and its impacts, highlight promising approaches to ensure healthier communities, and offer policy recommendations that can help all Americans lead healthier lives.
Briefing Resources:
- TFAH Fact Sheet: State of Obesity 2021: Better Policies for a Healthier America
- State of Alaska Physical Activity and Nutrition Program: Resources and References
- GAO Report: Federal Strategy Needed to Coordinate Diet-Related Efforts
- Rockefeller Foundation Report: True Cost of Food: Measuring What Matters to Transform the U.S. Food System
- Federal Nutrition Policy Advisory Group
- CDC Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps
- CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion – Social Determinants of Health Framework
- CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity – Health Equity Work
- Active People, Healthy NationSM Website
- Longitudinal Trends in Body Mass Index Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Persons Aged 2–19 Years — United States, 2018–2020
- JAMA Pediatrics: Underlying Medical Conditions Associated With Severe COVID-19 Illness Among Children
Panelists
-
Chef José AndrésChef José Andrés is a chef, humanitarian, and bestselling author. His ThinkFoodGroup comprises 30 acclaimed restaurants and the pioneering creative venture José Andrés Media, while his nonprofit World Central Kitchen uses food as a powerful agent of positive change around the globe.
-
Ruth Petersen, MD, MPHDr. Ruth Petersen serves as the Director of CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO). The Division provides national leadership on nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention through policy and guideline development, surveillance, epidemiological and behavioral research, and technical assistance to states and communities.
-
Dariush Mozaffarian, MD, DrPHDariush Mozaffarian is a cardiologist, Dean, and Jean Mayer Professor at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, and Professor of Medicine at Tufts School of Medicine.
-
Karol Fink, MS, RDNKarol Fink is the chief for the State of Alaska section of Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. She has a master of nutritional science and is a registered dietitian nutritionist.
Moderator
-
J. Nadine Gracia,MD, MSCEDr. J. Nadine Gracia is the President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), a nonprofit, nonpartisan public health policy, research and advocacy organization that promotes optimal health for every person and community.
Recent Webinar/Briefing
Pathway to a Healthier America: A Blueprint for Strengthening Public Health for the Next Administration and Congress
