UCL INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SOCIETY & HEALTH
International Institute for Society and Health
2008 PUBLIC SEMINAR SERIES
You are invited to attend on:
1 July 2008, Tuesday 5pm – 6.30pm
Panel Discussion: Obesity and inequality: what hope for change?
Panel Members
Helen Croker: Research Dietitian, UCL Health Behaviour Research Centre. Member of clinical guidance group for
the NICE obesity guidelines.
Tim Lang: Professor of Food Policy, City University. Advisor to the Foresight Obesity programme and member of
the Sustainable Development Commission.
Tim Lobstein: Director of the IASO child obesity programme and leader of POLMARK, a European Commission
funded project on policies on marketing of food to children.
Martin McKee : Professor of European Public Health, LSHTM. Research director of the European Observatory on
Health Systems and Policies; project leader of a 6th Framework coordination action EURO-PREVOB for the
prevention of obesity
Panel Chair
Eric Brunner: Reader in Epidemiology & Public Health, Co-Director of the UCL Health & Society Summer School
Abstract
Overweight and obesity have become a major public health issue in UK and Europe. The Foresight report (2007)
came to the conclusion that “obesity is a complex, multifaceted problem with no easy or obvious solutions”. In other
words, reversal of the upward trend will be slow and will necessarily involve interventions at several levels. A vital
aspect of the debate concerns the distribution of responsibility for solutions among individuals and families,
business and government. How can obesogenic environments be converted into leptogenic environments? Even in
France with its strong tradition of food culture, obesity prevalence has risen and the socioeconomic obesity gap has
widened over the past decade. How to reverse the growing link between social disadvantage and weight gain?
Income inequality and food insecurity are growing, making cheap energy-dense foods an attractive purchase for
people on low incomes. The expert panel will lead discussion on public health dimensions of the issue: (1)
effectiveness of weight loss interventions, (2) structural and cultural causes of obesity, (3) childhood obesity and UK
policy responses, and (4) emerging EU policy on obesity and inequalities in obesity.
This seminar will be held at UCL and is part of the UCL Health & Society 2008 Summer School. It is free, but space
is limited. NO NEED TO RSVP . Arrive promptly to secure a seat. Please contact us if you have any special needs.
Seminar venue:
UCL Old Refectory (under the UCL dome), UCL Main Gates, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT . Nearest Underground
station Euston Square. Warren St and Goodge St is also within walking distance. Email: iish@ucl.ac.uk
Refreshments at 6.30pm after the seminar.
You may access audio recording of our some past seminars at:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/iish/seminars.htm
*PLEASE BRING THIS INVITE WITH YOU