Two-thirds of American adults are too fat, and a major overhaul of US policies -- from schools to restaurants to urban
planning -- is needed to stem the epidemic, medical experts said Tuesday. In a hefty, 400-plus page report, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) called for
urgent action to reverse national obesity trends that are costing the US $190.2
billion a year in illness-related costs.
Peppered with terms like "synergies," "empower" and "systems approach," the
report called for a renewed focus on schools as the place where eating habits
take hold for life, noting that 17 percent of US children are obese, a figure
that has tripled in 30 years. Offering lunches packed with veggies and whole grains and limiting access to
sugar-sweetened drinks were among the recommendations for kids age six to 18.
"Action must occur at all levels -- individual, family, community, and the
broader society."
