Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention:

Solving the Weight of the Nation

On May 8, 2012, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a consensus report funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation. Two-thirds of adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese. 

If left unchecked, obesity’s effects on health, healthcare costs, and productivity as a nation could become catastrophic. The staggering human toll of obesity-related chronic disease and disability, and an annual cost of $190.2 billion for treating obesity-related illness, underscore the urgent need to strengthen prevention efforts in the United States. The IOM evaluated prior obesity prevention strategies and identified five recommendations to meet the following goals:

  • Integrate physical activity every day in every way
  • Market what matters for a healthy life
  • Make healthy foods and beverages available everywhere
  • Activate employers and health care professionals
  • Strengthen schools as the heart of health
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