Inaugural U.S. News National Childhood Obesity Summit Draws Industry Experts to Houston
Two breaking studies on obesity and diet were presented at the daylong conference.
WASHINGTON, May 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading experts working to address childhood obesity gathered for U.S. News & World Report's Combating Childhood Obesity summit presented by Texas Children's Hospital, a national leader among U.S. pediatric hospitals, on May 16, 2019 in Houston. The event convened top medical professionals, hospital executives, pediatricians, community health leaders and advocates for a series of conversations exploring the causes and complications of the obesity epidemic – and its possible solutions.
The daylong conference featured as its keynote speakers two longtime pioneers in the field: George Bray, M.D., Boyd Professor Emeritus of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University, and William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Sumner M. Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health.
"This unrelenting epidemic is one of the biggest public health challenges facing today's children – and tomorrow's adults," said Brian Kelly, editor and chief content officer of U.S. News. "U.S. News will continue casting a spotlight on the pressing health issues affecting our nation's communities."
The summit's overarching takeaway argued that childhood obesity should be treated as a disease. It is not the result of a lack of willpower from children and their parents – but owes to the complex interplay between genetics and environmental factors.
A five-year study on gastric bypass surgery by Thomas Inge, M.D., Ph.D., director of adolescent bariatric surgery at Children's Hospital Colorado and lead author on the paper, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine and discussed at the conference. Dr. Inge presented his findings showing that adolescents who undergo gastric bypass surgery lose as much weight as those who have the operation as adults and are more likely to see a reversal of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure in the years following surgery. The key takeaway from his results suggest that operating earlier on teens who have obesity may prove more beneficial for some than waiting until adulthood.
In a panel analyzing the physiological factors conspiring against weight loss, Kevin Hall, Ph.D., chief of the integrated physiology section at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease, debuted new study results exploring the role of processed foods on weight and eating patterns. His research published in the Cell Metabolism found that eating a diet made up of ultra-processed foods causes people to overeat and gain weight compared to eating a minimally processed diet.
Photos from the national summit can be viewed here. For more information about the event, please visit usnews.com and join the conversation on Twitter via @USNHOT using #USNChildObesity.
About U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is the global leader in quality rankings that empower people to make better, more informed decisions about important issues affecting their lives. A digital news and information company focused on Education, Health, Money, Travel, Cars and Civic, USNews.com provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis to serve people making complex decisions throughout all stages of life. More than 40 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance. Founded in 1933, U.S. News is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
About Texas Children's Hospital
Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Tower for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, the first hospital devoted to children's care for communities north of Houston. The organization also created Texas Children's Health Plan, the nation's first HMO for children; Texas Children's Pediatrics, the largest pediatric primary care network in the country; Texas Children's Urgent Care clinics that specialize in after-hours care tailored specifically for children; and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens.
SOURCE U.S. News & World Report
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