For more information contact: Boonshoft School of Medicine, Judi Engle, Office of Public Relations, (937) 775-2951

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2007

"Eating Ourselves Sick" Subject of Local Conference

DAYTON, OHIO--The Center for Global Health Systems, Management, and Policy at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine will hold its 7th annual conference, "Eating Ourselves Sick: The Health and Economic Challenges of Obesity." It will be held on Wednesday, February 21 from 8:00 a.m. - 3:45 p.m., at the David H. Ponitz Sinclair Center, Building 12, on the Sinclair College campus in downtown Dayton.

Richard Schuster, M.D., M.M.M., Boonshoft Chair and Director of the Center, explains, "Wright State University is sponsoring a program that objectively and academically identifies the burgeoning impact of the obesity problem. Obesity is an epidemic in America, affecting children and adults. As a community we need to address the issue as both a medical and population-based problem. Sadly, statistics show that because of obesity, the life expectancy in the United States will be shorter for our children's generation than it is for us."

Program imageSara Paton, Ph.D., assistant professor of community health and an epidemiologist at the Boonshoft School of Medicine, will present the "Epidemiology of Obesity." Presentations throughout the day will focus on the economics of obesity from the perspectives of the employer and the fast food industry and discuss how military and public health institutions are addressing the obesity epidemic. Sessions will also illustrate how programs in physician offices and child and adolescent programs can have an impact on obesity in our community. Two separate breakout sessions will follow the speaker presentations, allowing participants to brainstorm on new ideas for clinical, community, and policy approaches to dealing with obesity.

For more information or to register call Pam Mondini at 258-5555 or visit our website: http://www.med.wright.edu/hsm/education.html#conferences

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Registration Form (PDF doc)