Health & Medicine: Combating Obesity

JOSEPH A. SKELTON, pediatric gastroenterologist and program director of the NEW (Nutrition, Exercise and Weight Management) Kids Program at the CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN in Milwaukee: "Combating obesity is not simple, and the government must take a multi-pronged approach to address it. Obesity is a complex interplay between genetics, nutrition, activity, environment, politics and individual characteristics. At this point, the government has the biggest impact on policies that affect reimbursement for prevention and treatment of obesity, including family counseling, nutritional services, physical activity and bariatric surgery. "

"In addition, using food subsidy policies, the government can improve the nutritional 'environment' of the United States by making healthier food more readily available. Other policies, such as food and activity options in schools, funding for parks, and research on successful treatment modalities, will have the biggest impact.

The government supports families in other ways, such as family planning and financial assistance, so they should support families who are striving to be healthier."

UNDERSTANDING WEIGHT-LOSS SURGERY. MELISSA ARIZPE, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist who was trained at the ILLINOIS SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL PSYCHOLOGY: "Weight-loss surgery is not for everyone. I turn down about one in 50, and require about another five in 50 to do extra education prior to surgery. The reality is that no one needs 'emergency' bariatric surgery, so the patients need to demonstrate that they have put some effort into researching the surgery."

Arizpe has been in the mental health field for almost 15 years. She has always specialized in health psychology - the study of psychology and how it impacts our physical well-being.