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The Obesity Care Advocacy Network (OCAN) needs your help to address obesity. Visit our Action Center to use your voice on important obesity issues.

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Obesity Care Now

11.02.21 Letter to CMS re TROA Final.pdf

To the Honorable Chiquita Brooks-LaSure

Administrator

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

> As the sponsors of the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act (H.R. 1577/S. 596), we write to urge you to use your regulatory authority to give seniors access to Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved anti-obesity medications (AOMs) and to improve access to Intensive Behavioral Therapy (IBT) for obesity. We are hopeful that CMS will not only recognize the devastating impact that COVID-19 is having on the health outcomes of so many Americans living with obesity, but also the disproportionate toll obesity is having on communities of color. As such, we hope that CMS will use its resources to update Medicare's coverage policies to provide comprehensive coverage for effective therapies to treat obesity.

Comments: House and Senate Sponsors Urge CMS to Implement TROA Provisions

*Original Post: [ConscienHealth](https://conscienhealth.org/2021/10/doubling-covids-toll-mental-health-and-child-obesity/)*

The numbers make it crystal clear. One of the long-term effects of the COVID pandemic will be a jump in childhood obesity. And it’s not hard to trace that back to the mental health of children and families. Late last week a [new report](https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2021-053760) in Pediatrics provided a stark reminder about the impact of COVID on children. Roughly 140,000 children have lost a primary caregiver to death because of the pandemic. That is 140,000 children who have lost a parent, grandparent, or another loved one who cared for them. 

Now let’s recall that [adverse childhood experiences](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41390-019-0509-2) are an important trigger for obesity. So the straight line from these devastating losses to the jump in childhood obesity rates is easy to see. 

#### Unfortunate Complacency About Children and COVID 

Early in the pandemic, some people falsely thought that children were “[essentially immune](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51975377)” to COVID. Now we’ve learned how wrong they were. First of all, with the Delta surge, pediatric ICUs have been [filling up](https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/patient-flow/number-of-us-children-hospitalized-with-covid-19-hits-record-dallas-out-of-pediatric-icu-beds.html). But in addition, the indirect impact on mental and physical health has been drastic. 

Obesity prevalence in kids [has clearly grown](https://conscienhealth.org/2021/09/more-obesity-in-the-pandemic-kids-yes-adults-iffy/) in the pandemic. Further, COVID has put the mental health of the world’s 2.2 billion children at risk. A new report from the UN tells us that nearly [one in five young people](https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/impact-covid-19-poor-mental-health-children-and-young-people-tip-iceberg#:~:text=1%20in%205%20young%20people%20aged%2015%E2%80%9324%20surveyed%20said%20they%20often%20feel%20depressed%20or%20have%20little%20interest%20in%20doing%20things.) often feel depressed or have little interest in life. Children’s hospitals in the U.S. have seen [dramatic increases](https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/22/health/covid-19-pandemic-mental-health-children/index.html#:~:text=Children%27s%20hospitals%20around%20the%20country%20say%20they%20have%20seen%20a%20meteoric%20rise%20in%20the%20number%20of%20children%20who%20need%20mental%20health%20help) in children seeking mental health services.  

Without a doubt, the presumption that COVID was not a threat to children has proven to be terribly wrong. 

#### Mental Health and Obesity: A Two-Way Street 

The relationship between mental health and obesity goes in two directions. Stress, distress, and adverse childhood experiences can fuel weight gain. On the other side of this link, it’s also clear that obesity can fuel mental health distress. Bullying and social isolation are significant problems for a child living with obesity. [Public health messaging](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25955676/) that tended to blame children and parents for this metabolic disease has long been a problem. 

As just one example, [screening and singling out children with obesity in school](https://doi.org/10.1089/chi.2021.29011.editorial) was once a popular policy. Research now shows that it offers no benefit while having the potential to do a great deal of harm. 

#### World Mental Health Day 2021 

Today is World Mental Health Day. The rallying cry is to make mental health care for all a reality. Recognizing the link between obesity and mental health makes this especially important for people living with obesity. Even more so, it is important for children. Let’s resolve to live up to this challenge and take it one step further. Let’s all do our part to stop the harm that weight stigma does to children who are living with obesity. 

---

*Ted Kyle is a pharmacist and health innovator living in Pittsburgh. He is also a tireless advocate for people living with obesity. His widely-read daily commentary, published at [conscienhealth.org/news](http://conscienhealth.org/news), reaches an audience of more than 15,000 thought leaders in health and obesity.*

Doubling COVID’s Toll: Mental Health and Obesity

OAC Resource Library

Obesity is a complex chronic disease – OCAN is leading the fight for comprehensive care.

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Morning Consult Polling Presentation - Obesity in America OCAN 11.2021.pdf

On Friday, November 19th at 10 AM Eastern, the Obesity Care Now campaign will host an event to unveil results of a new poll conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of OCAN on obesity in America.

The following experts will give remarks on the results and be available for questions: 
 
- **Joe Nadglowski and Hannah Martin**, co-chairs, Obesity Care Advocacy Network
- **Dr. Fatima Stanford**, obesity medicine physician, scientist, educator, and policy maker, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

The new data reveals insights on the status of the obesity epidemic in the U.S., public opinion on how the federal government should address the growing public health and health equity crisis, and whether people believe federal health programs like Medicare are updated regularly enough to reflect scientific advancements and medical consensus around obesity and to address racial disparities in health care. 
 
OCAN co-chairs Joe Nadglowski and Hannah Martin will also share updates on the nationwide campaign, [Obesity Care Now](http://obesitycarenow.com/), an effort by leading medical and health equity advocates to educate people about the dangers of obesity and urge leaders on Capitol Hill and in the Administration to provide access to lifesaving obesity care now by passing the *Treat and Reduce Obesity Act* (TROA).

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Poll: Obesity Care Now reveals new Morning Consult polling on obesity

Obesity is a complex chronic disease – OCAN is leading the fight for comprehensive care.

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By the Numbers

42%

U.S. Adults with Obesity

$170B

Annual Excess Costs of Adult Obesity

230+

Obesity-related Conditions

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