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Have You Registered for the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting?
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More than 700 of your colleagues have
already registered for The Obesity Society's Annual Meeting- have you?
Don't miss up-to-date research results on topics such as pediatric
obesity, obesity in the elderly, bariatric surgery, the latest
pharmacologic agents, maintenance of weight loss, and much more. To see
the Annual Meeting Advance Program click
here.
Don't forget to register
for the 2007 meeting
before the advance registration deadline: September 4.
The last day to request housing: September 20.
On-site registration begins at the Ernest N.
Morial Convention
Center: October 20.
2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The
Obesity Society
October 20-24, 2007
New Orleans, Louisiana
Visit
the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting Web Site
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President's Message, Eric Ravussin, PhD
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Dear Colleagues and Members,
I hope you are enjoying the last few weeks of summer and gearing up for
the Annual Scientfic Meeting.
Register now. The Annual Scientific meeting of our Society is
fast approaching (October 20-24) and New Orleans is ready to welcome more
than 2,000 delegates to our event. I am sure that you will find the
program (and the pre-program) as exciting as the meeting's location.
Despite the many hotels in New
Orleans, I would advise you to register as soon
as possible and to make your hotel reservation
through our website to take advantage of the lower rates.
25th Anniversary. This year is an important year for our Society
since it will be the 25th anniversary of The Obesity Society, formerly
NAASO. Indeed, in the early 80's, Dr. George Bray and Dr. John Brunzell
had the vision that obesity and its related conditions should be
investigated thoroughly and that a society should be created to improve
our understanding of this condition. These pioneers probably knew that
obesity would one day become one of the major health problems in affluent
as well as in developing societies. In 1982 Drs. Bray, Greenwood
and Calloway organized the first meeting on obesity at Vassar College
sponsored by the new North American Society for the Study of Obesity and
the National Institutes of Health. In 1983 Dr. Hanson, at the 4th
International Congress of Obesity, was elected the society's first
president for 1984-85. At the New
Orleans meeting, we will honor all our 22 past
presidents for their contributions to place obesity research, education,
and advocacy at the center of an important agenda.
Winners. We received more than 800 abstracts and some of
the best research will be showcased in a plenary session. This year will
also be the first year that our Society is providing travel grants for
young investigators based on the quality of their submitted abstract.
Authors of the top 14 abstracts will receive a $500 travel award pending
that they are within five years of their highest degree. Finally, the
recipients of eight New Investigators Awards will be announced at the
meeting and receive approximately $25,000 to conduct their research
projects.
Party and Lunches. Other innovations at the New Orleans meeting include providing
all lunches on site for all the registrants as well as a party
"Taste of New Orleans," an exciting alternative to our
traditional gala. At this Monday night party, we will sample some
fabulous Louisiana
food and spend an enjoyable evening with drinks, music and dance at a
historic place very close to the Convention Center. This social occasion
is unprecedented for our society: The best in food and entertainment have
been found at a venue just one block from the Convention Center. It's all
about New Orleans
charm: jambalaya, gumbo, libations and the famous Rockin' Doopsie (King
of Zydeco Blues), all at the historic Generations Hall and Patio. Wear
your dancing shoes and come with an appetite for the famous creole
cuisine for the Monday night fais-do-do.
In summary, I invite you to register for
our meeting and make your hotel reservation in anticipation of an
exciting scientific program and a good time during which we will all
"Laissez les bons temps roulez."
Eric Ravussin
President
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Bylaws Approved
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New Bylaws for The Obesity Society were
recently approved by members of the Society. Under the new Bylaws:
- Authority of the Executive Committee is spelled out.
- The duties of several officers are spelled out. In
particular, committees are given to specific officers as liaisons to
the Council.
- Sections are also to be assigned specific liaisons.
- A Publications Board replaces the Publications Committee to
give more long-term oversight of the Society's publications program.
- The list of committees reflects our current committees and
the number of members are specified.
- Dues increases would be approved by Council not the
membership.
- An indemnification section is added.
The final version of the bylaws will
also include the Council's approval of a new standing Committee on
Diversity Promotion, replacing the Women and Minority Task Force. The new
Committee is charged with developing standards to ensure representation
of individuals of diverse backgrounds at all levels of the Society.
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Obesity
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Beginning in January, 2008 Nature
Publishing Group (NPG) will be partnering with The Obesity Society to
publish Obesity. Visit the
NPG booth (306) to meet the editors of Obesity,
browse their journal collection, and pick up free sample copies of International Journal of Obesity, Spinal Cord,
and other journals.
Richard N. Bergman, Chairman of the
Department of Physiology and Biophysics at the Keck School of Medicine of
the University
of Southern California,
and holder of the Keck Endowed Chair in Medicine, has been selected as
the next Editor-in-Chief of Obesity. He will succeed the current
Editor-in-Chief, Barbara Corkey, PhD. who will be completing her
five-year term on December 31, 2007.
Dr. Bergman has been well known for
extensive research into the causes of Type 2 diabetes and has developed
the most powerful tool to date for predicting who is most at risk for
this disease. His research has moved into the area of obesity in the last
several years, and he has developed animal models to examine carefully
the temporal pattern of events which result in obesity. Dr. Bergman has
been an active member of The Obesity Society for several years and is
currently completing his three-year term as a member of The Obesity
Society's Council.
The transition to Dr. Bergman's term
began in July to allow for a six-month transition to full editorial
responsibility in January 2008.
We have selected a new Managing Editor
for Obesity and we welcome Hedy Ross in this position. Working closely
with Dr. Bergman is Hannah Freed, Assistant to the Editor-in-Chief.
Dr. Bergman has selected a renowned
board of Associate Editors including:
Marilyn Ader (Associate Editor and Deputy Editor);
David Allison ;
Louis Aronne;
Timothy Bartness;
Clifton
Bogardus;
Susan Fried;
Michael Goran;
David Kelley;
John Miles;
Philip Scherer;
Thomas Wadden;
Richard Watanabe;
Alan Watts;
Stephen Woods.
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Obesity Society Public Policy Conference
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On September 19, The Obesity Society
will host a public policy conference with the School
of Public Health and Health
Sciences at George
Washington University. The title of the
conference is "The Obesity Challenge: What the Next President Should
Do." Linda Douglas, longtime political reporter for CBS and ABC will
moderate panels of advisors to major presidential campaigns, pollsters,
and reporters.
The issue of obesity has moved up to a
prominent position in public opinion polls and this conference will
pursue what the next administration, whether Democratic or Republican,
should do to address this critical issue.
Stay tuned to the September Newsletter
for a report on the specifics of the Conference.
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Interested in serving on a Committee of The Obesity Society?
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Obesity Society members are invited to
consider volunteering to serve on a Society Committee. In September, The
Obesity Society will begin the process of appointing members to
committees of the Society for the upcoming year. Find committee pool form
href="http://www.naaso.org/about/council.asp">
on The Obesity Society website to use in submitting information.
Since there are only a very limited
number of available committee appointments that are made each year, it is
impossible to meet more than a fraction of the requests to serve. If not
selected for the upcoming term, please consider submitting your name for
the following year.
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Obesity Society Statement to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid
Services (CMS)
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The Obesity Society provided comment on
Medicare Program: Policy and Technical Changes to the Medicare
Prescription Drug Benefit. The proposed rule change was published in the
Federal Register.
Specifically the CMS addresses Part D
drugs which excludes drugs for "anorexia, weight loss, or weight
gain and agents used for cosmetic purposes of hair growth." The
proposed rule for CMS states "we erroneously asserted that to the
extent that a drug was dispensed for a 'medically accepted definition'-
weight loss agents could be covered for the treatment of morbid obesity.
Therefore, we clarify here that agents, when used for anorexia, weight
loss or weight gain are specifically excluded from the definition of Part
D drugs."
The Obesity Society requested that CMS
delete this language and convene a special panel to discuss coverage of
drugs for the treatment of obesity for the following reasons:
· Obesity is one of the most important health care
conditions affecting Medicare beneficiaries. The Medicare Payment
Advisory Commission, an independent federal body reported to Congress in Promoting
Greater Efficiency in Medicare that "higher rates of obesity likely
have increased the prevalence of conditions such as diabetes,
hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. Recent data suggest that the obesity
rate among the elderly is at a historically high level. The impact of
obesity on the prevalence of chronic conditions may become even stronger
in the coming decades because the prevalence of obesity is higher among
the population age 40 to 59 than among those age 60 or older."
· Obesity is a "medically accepted
indication." The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9-CM)
lists as a condition, disorder, or disease both "morbid
obesity" and obesity. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
approves "articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure,
mitigation, or prevention of disease in man or animals" and has
approved drugs for the treatment of obesity.
· Current Medicare coverage for treating obesity is
woefully inadequate. Although CMS in 2006 expanded coverage of bariatric
surgery, Medicare still does not cover physician or dietician counseling
to reduce obesity. The proposed regulation would exclude coverage of
approved drugs for obesity.
· The statutory language is ambiguous. One section
of the law defining Part D drugs allows for coverage of drugs for a
"medically accepted indication." The Act excludes "drugs
or classes of drugs or their medical uses" when used for
"anorexia, weight loss or weight gain."
· CMS has created wholesale exceptions to similar
exclusions in other important areas of public health. CMS specifically
allows for prescription drugs to treat cachexia or AIDS although weight
gain is the desired outcome of such interventions.
The letter, signed by Eric Ravussin,
President of The Obesity Society, concluded by stating that "obesity
is a major health program facing the Medicare program and current
Medicare coverage of surgery but not physician counseling or FDA approved
drugs is inadequate to address the problem. We recommend that CMS delete
the language on the coverage of drugs to treat obesity and convene an
appropriate advisory group to address this specific issue."
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Obesity Summit 2007 - Cleveland
Clinic Conference is in September
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The Obesity Summit 2007, a Cleveland Clinic CME conference is September
27-29, 2007. The goal of the Summit
is to bring together leaders in clinical practice and industry to explore
potential solutions to the emerging obesity epidemic and, ultimately, to
improve patient outcomes and reduce obesity prevalence. The Summit will include
two programs: An industry-focused program (1 day) devoted to discussions
of innovations and potential new directions for therapeutic modalities
and; A clinical practice-focused program (1.5 days) that will present
evidence-based discussions of obesity research findings, prevention
approaches, and management strategies.
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Name Change for ASBS
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The American Society for Bariatric
Surgery (ASBS) has changed its name to the American Society for Metabolic
& Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).
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Job Fair at Annual Scientific Meeting
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Attention universities, clinics, and
businesses: Do you have a position you want to fill? We will be hosting a
Job Fair at the Annual Scientific Meeting and want an indication of the
number of organizations interested in posting positions. If you would
like to participate in the Job Fair and advertise a position, please let
us know. Please e-mail rpittman@naaso.org and let us know of your
interest.
Job seekers: don't forget to stop by the
Job Fair and see what positions are being advertised.
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Obesity Society Pre-Conference Workshop
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Sponsored by Active Living Research,
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Saturday, October 20, 2007
1:00-3:00 pm
Obesity Society Annual Scientific Meeting
GIS data are used in community-level and
multi-level research aimed at understanding the effects of neighborhood
contexts on outcomes of interest. This workshop will bring together
national leading scientists in the area of environmental determinants of physical
activity, diet, and obesity with the goal of expanding the skills of
attendees in GIS-based research and methods.
Speakers: Penny Gordon-Larsen, PhD, University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill
J. Michael Oakes, PhD, University
of Minnesota
James Sallis, PhD, San
Diego State University and Active Living
Research
There is no fee for the workshop but
space is limited so reserve your seat now.
Register
online during the regular registration process or modify your
existing registration at the same site.
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Remember to Register
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Don't forget to register
for the 2007 meeting.
To see the Annual Meeting Advance Program click
here.
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Member News
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News from the South By Steven Smith, MD
The Pennington Biomedical Research
Center-LSU System- recently welcomed Greg Sutton, Jingying Zhang, Maria
Barnes, Stefany Primeaux, Sita Aggarwal, and William Johnson to the PBRC
faculty.
In addition, Peter T. Katzmarzyk, PhD,
FACSM was appointed Associate Executive Director for Population Science,
holding the Professor and Louisiana Public Facilities Authority Endowed
Chair.
News from Canada
By Arya Sharma, MD
The Canadian Obesity Network in
collaboration with Merck Frosst/CIHR Research Chair in Obesity held the
networks inaugural Obesity Summer Boot Camp July 16-24. It was held at
Station Touristigue Duchesnay, Quebec
and was an overwhelming success. Twenty four students/trainees were
brought together with 11 leading faculty members from five Canadian
universities. The nine-day program featured insightful sessions on key
scientific and psycho- social issues in the prevention and treatment of
obesity and its complications, such as epidemiology, public health, cell
biology, energy, regulation, clinical management and health policy.
The Canadian Obesity Network organized
the Obesity Challenges and Solutions conference in Montreal
and Toronto
in June. The Toronto
conference is available via live webcast.
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News
of New Orleans
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For information on registering for the
Annual Scientific Meeting click
here
To see the Advance Program, click
here
Interested
in...
Exhibiting?
Sponsorship
opportunities?
The Obesity Society's
2007 Annual Scientific Meeting
October 20-24
Ernest N. Morial
Convention Center
New Orleans, LA
Visit the Meeting
Home Page for details as they become available.
Laissez
les bon temps rouler!
(Let the good times roll!)
Questions and comments
about The Obesity Society's Web site or newsletter? Please contact Nancy
Olins or Karen Teff, PhD
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