Academy Health - June 25, 2006
State Legislative Responses
to the Obesity Epidemic
Dr. Ann Cotten
Director
Schaefer Center for Public Policy
University of Baltimore
1304 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
UB Obesity Report CardTM
 Purpose

Track state level legislative initiatives to
address the obesity epidemic
 Current Status


2005 Report Card Complete
2006 update is in progress
 Researchers – 2005 Report Card

Ann Cotten, Kenneth Stanton, Zoltan Acs,
Mary Lovegrove, Joe Creed
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Methodology
 Search for legislation

Existing legislation
 Westlaw

Proposed or Enacted Legislation
 Lexus
 Thomas Legislation Tracker
 Legislative analysis
 Classification
 Scoring


Proposed legislation
Enacted
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Categories in Legislative Report Card
 Nutrition Standards for Schools
 Vending Machine Content and Access
 Body Mass Index Measured in School
 Recess and Physical Education
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Categories of Legislation in Report Card

Obesity Research

Obesity Treatment in Health Insurance

Obesity Commissions

Obesity Programs and Education
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Data Gathering Challenges
 Terminology
 Volume of Legislation
 Categorization
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
2005
Copyright Ann Cotten, Kenneth Stanton, and Zolton Acs
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Possible government
interventions
Copyright Ann Cotten, Kenneth Stanton, and Zolton Acs
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
2005
Childhood Obesity Legislation Introduced
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Trends in Nutrition Standards
Fluffernutter Sandwich Angers
Mass. Senator
By STEVE LeBLANC,
Associated Press Writer
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Academy Health Conference 2006
Nutrition Standards
 Competitive Foods
 Increasing quality foods
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Trends in Vending Machine Content
American Beverage Association
Elementary Schools
Water, milk, and 100% juice
Middle Schools
Same as elementary schools, but larger sizes
High School
Water,
No or low calorie beverage,
Milk, 100% juice, light juice, sports drinks 12 oz
Light juices and sports drinks *
50% must be water or no/low calorie options
http://www.ameribev.org//schools/School%20Beverag
e%20Guidelines%20.asp
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Vending Machine/Competitive Foods
 Access


Limit time available
Limit location
 Content


Poor quality foods
Higher quality foods
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
BMI Monitoring
Mandatory BMI
monitoring in 10 states
Voluntary monitoring in
6 states
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Physical Education
Trends
 PE Requirements
 Research on PE
requirements
 Model PE programs
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Obesity Treatment & Insurance
 Mandated offering of
insurance coverage
 Maryland mandates
benefit coverage
 Numerous states are
now considering bills
to address morbid
obesity
 CMS will allow
approved procedures
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Obesity Treatment – New Trends
OBESITY TREATMENT
 Colorado - Obesity Treatment Pilot
Program.
 Iowa will provide dietary counseling to
child and adult Medicaid enrollees by
7/1/06.
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
New trends in public policy
 Promoting fruit and vegetable consumption
 Financial incentives to schools for providing
healthy food/drink or adopting nutritional
standards
 Set educational requirements for school
personnel
 Legislative prohibitions from individuals suing
food businesses from damages resulting from
obesity or obesity-related conditions.
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
New Trends in Public Policy
 Legislatures have considered a “snack tax”
 Improve access to or the safety of public fitness,
walking and biking facilities and bills to promote
alternative transportation methods.
 Appropriate general fund dollars to support
access to fresh produce for low-income WIC
recipients and senior citizens.
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Next Steps




Continuing the scorecard
Evaluation research
Seeking partners for evaluation
Forthcoming book
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Academy Health Conference 2006
Forthcoming Book
Obesity, Business and Public Policy
Editors Zoltan Acs and C. Alan Lyles
Edward Elgar Publishing
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Academy Health Conference 2006
Addenda
Addenda
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Academy Health Conference 2006
University of Baltimore Obesity Group
Link to the UB Obesity Report CardTM
http://www.ubalt.edu/experts/obesity/
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
University of Baltimore Obesity Group
José Anderson
Professor, School of Law
David T. Levy
Professor, Economics
John J. Callahan
Program Director
Health Systems Management
C. Alan Lyles
Associate Professor,
Government & Public Administration
Ann Cotten
Director,
Schaefer Center for Public Policy
Lee Richardson Jr.
Professor, Marketing
Michael V. Laric
Director, Division of Management &
Marketing
Kenneth Richard Stanton
Assistant Professor, Finance
Lenneal Henderson
Professor,
Government & Public Administration
David Stevens
Director,
Jacob France Institute
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
About the Schaefer Center
The Schaefer Center is an applied research
unit within the University of Baltimore’s
School of Public Affairs. The Center’s
mission is to bring University expertise to
bear to help solve the problems facing
government and non-profit organizations.
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Schaefer Center Services
 Program Evaluation
 Policy Research
 Large scale database management and
analysis
 Opinion Research Center

Phone, mail, web surveying, focus group
moderating
 Strategic Management
 Professional Development Training
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006
Contact Information
Ann Cotten
Schaefer Center for Public Policy
University of Baltimore
1304 Saint Paul Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
acotten@ubalt.edu
scpp.ubalt.edu
Ann Cotten
Academy Health Conference 2006