More than a third of adults in the United States are obese, and obesity rates for children in the country have tripled since 1980. In an effort to foster conversation about the issue, the School of Medicine is hosting a public forum on Nov. 27 on the driving forces behind the nation's weight gain, including food policies and diet trends.
A flyer (.pdf) for the free event offers more details about the guest speakers:
Acclaimed science writer Gary Taubes will join in conversation with Christopher Gardner, PhD, director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center. Gardner is actively involved in research focused on dietary intervention trials designed to test the effects of food components or food patterns on chronic disease risk factors, including body weight, blood lipids, and inflammatory markers. Taubes has argued that our diet's overemphasis on certain kinds of carbohydrates, has led directly to the obesity epidemic we face today – which immediately stirred controversy and acclaim among academics, journalists and writers alike.
The discussion will be moderated by Paul Costello, the medical school’s chief communications officer, and end with an audience Q&A.
Previously: Four states examine their cultural environment to reduce obesity rates, Examining why instilling healthy eating and exercise habits in children may not prevent obesity later in life, Stanford researcher fights obesity out on the farm and Obesity in kids: A growing and dangerous epidemic
Photo by Jodi Green
