New direction needed for obesity research, Deakin health expert claims

	Tweet

Most of the current obesity research is not proving helpful in finding solutions to the growing international epidemic, according to a Deakin University public health expert.

Professor Boyd Swinburn believes that research funding would be better directed at testing possible solutions rather than continuing to unpick what is causing the rise in obesity.

“It seems counter intuitive, but knowing the causes or mechanisms for weight gain does not always help with identifying the solutions,” he said.

"For an individual person, we know the causes of weight gain over time include the obesogenic environment, genetic predisposition, and increasing age – none of which can be influenced by the health professional trying to help the person lose weight. At a population level, the commercial drivers which promote our overconsumption of food are unlikely to be reversed by the private sector because there is no commercial gain for the food industry to promote eating fewer calories.

“The twin bottom line is that we need to re-orient our research towards testing potential solutions rather than just better identifying the problem. The most promising approaches for individuals and populations will involve identifying the right set of ‘rules’ or policies which lead to sustainable environmental and behavioural changes.”

Professor Swinburn says that identifying solutions needs specific solutions-oriented research and unfortunately most of the current research into obesity is problem-oriented.

“Interestingly, the solutions that are the most likely to work seem to be ‘rule-based’ solutions,” Professor Swinburn explained.

“For overweight individuals, so long as they can stick to a set of dietary rules which results in a reduced calorie intake, it doesn’t seem to matter what foods are included or excluded. This is why lots of different types of diets which are unrelated to the dietary causes of weight gain can produce weight loss.

“Similarly, at a population level, it is likely that rules or policies are likely to be the most promising for prevention. Education, guidelines, industry self-regulation, and government ads on TV are unlikely to have much influence and stronger policies will be needed.”

Professor Swinburn will be speaking about the causes of the current obesity epidemic and potential solutions today (Thursday 21 May) at the Public Health Association of Australia ACT Branch’s Sax Oration in Canberra.

###

Professor Boyd Swinburn is chair of population health and director of the World Health Organisation Collaborating Centre for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University.

Professor Swinburn is available for interviews and can be contacted on 0407 539 941, email

Contact: Professor Boyd Swinburn

61-040-753-9941
Research Australia

RELATED STORIES:
Weight Loss Can be Contagious, Study Suggests   Toss Cravings, Lose Weight   Anti-obesity drugs with a modified lifestyle helps weight loss -new study   Dieting with the denomination, determination   Device makers urge coverage of weight-loss surgery   Frequent eating tied to less weight gain in girls   Pick Up the Cell Phone, Drop the Pounds   FDA takes aim at “unproven” HCG weight-loss brands   Nervous system activity may predict successful weight loss   Mid-Morning Snacking May Sabotage Weight-Loss Efforts   Safety data favors less-invasive weight-loss surgery   Exploring The Role Of Endoscopy In Treating Obesity

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]