AMA adopts policy to help physicians, students prevent, manage obesity

Recognizing that obesity remains a primary health concern impacting an increasing number of Americans, the American Medical Association (AMA) today adopted policy during its Annual Meeting that will equip more medical students and physicians to prevent, diagnose and manage obesity. The new policy aims to increase awareness of the numerous resources that have been developed by the health care education community to help guide health care professionals in the prevention and treatment of obesity.

From 2011 to 2012, more than 34 percent of U.S. adults and nearly 17 percent of adolescents age 2 to 19 were obese, according to a 2014 study published in JAMA. The condition also contributed an estimated $147 billion in U.S. medical costs, and the annual medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of non-obese people.