April 21, 2013 — The potential for radical health cost transparency and savings had the head of a major healthcare organization praising Obamacare recently. Jonathan Bush, Chairman and CEO of athenahealth, says that the provision for accountable care organizations (ACOs) in Obamacare is opening up a new era for health cost transparency. Bush says: Suddenly, you see this incredible variation […]
April 20, 2013 — “It is fact that people are getting fatter because of over-eating and too little exercise,” proclaimed someone selling himself on LinkedIn as a best-selling author and business performance expert recently. He went on to use his factoid as the basis for suggesting people with obesity should pay more for airline tickets. The hot debate with more than […]
April 19, 2013 — People pay a lot of of attention to who pays for science and research, being vigilant about the potential for commercial interests to introduce bias. And bias is pervasive in obesity and nutrition research, influencing what will be studied and how it will be interpreted. Foundations, nonprofits, advocacy organizations, and government agencies fund a great deal […]
April 18, 2013 — Employers are talking a lot about employee wellness programs, with some stirring up controversy by weighing their employees and imposing penalties on employees with obesity. A pair of new studies adds to the understanding that prolonged sitting time at work is a significant risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, and a host of health problems. This growing body of […]
April 17, 2013 — Vivus will be carefully expanding the distribution for their newly launched obesity treatment, Qsymia, with approval from the FDA. Until now, Qsymia was sold through a tightly controlled distribution system of mail order pharmacies. While that system may have been effective to assure safe use early in the drug’s introduction, it also created hardships for […]
April 16, 2013 — A new report on the nutrition quality of restaurant children’s meals says that more than 90% fail even the industry’s own standard. The only good news for a restaurant in this report is that every children’s meal at Subway scored a healthy rating. Judged by criteria of the National Restaurant Association’s Kids LiveWell program, 91% […]
April 15, 2013 — Who doesn’t lie about their weight? Beyond the obvious answer, a new study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) shows that regional differences in weight fibs add up to distorted obesity statistics. Conventional wisdom holds that Alabama and Mississippi are in a tight race for the highest obesity rates in America. But those […]
April 14, 2013 — About 5,000 Registered Dietitians have made a commitment to work as front-line professionals for healthy weight through their membership in the Weight Management Dietary Practice group of the Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics. At an annual meeting of this group in Indianapolis yesterday, a detailed explanation of how Medicare will now pay for their services […]
April 13, 2013 — Here’s a hint of change in the air. This week prominent Democrats and Republicans alike heaped praise on an Obama health policy nominee. Marilyn Tavenner, nominated by President Obama to head the powerful Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), sailed through a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor traveled […]
April 12, 2013 — Food policy engenders conflict with an intensity that echoes historic religious conflicts. Battles over labeling for genetically modified (or GMO) foods are the latest example. A messy rift in a committee of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics charged with developing a position statement on GMO foods erupted into headlines this week. The New York […]
