On May 22, 2008, nearly 100 Arkansas leaders representing government, education, communities, health care, public health, insurance, media, business, philanthropy, and faith groups came together to develop recommended policies for addressing Arkansas’s obesity epidemic. 

Obesity is an epidemic that places a multi-billion dollar burden on Arkansas’s economy, touching the lives of every citizen in one way or another.  By bringing a wide spectrum of leaders to the same table, Summit organizers hope to spark the kind of cultural shift needed to reverse this multi-generational health issue. 

The day began with a welcome from Governor Mike Beebe, who commented on the relationship between health and the state’s economy and stressed the importance of highlighting economic benefits when seeking legislative support.

Prior to participating in small work groups (click here for a list of small group participants), Summit attendees were provided with a comprehensive overview to guide them in policy development deliberations.  Presentations included:

(Please note, presentations are Microsoft PowerPoint files and may take a few minutes to load).

• "State of the State" presentation by Joe Thompson, MD, MPH, ACHI Director and Surgeon General for the State of Arkansas.

• Physical Activity Policy, by Russ Pate, PhD, Associate Vice President for Health Sciences and Professor in the Dept. of Exercise Science in the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina.

• Nutrition Policy, by Margo Wootan, PhD, Director of Nutrition Policy at the Washington, DC Center for Science in the Public Interest.

• Overview of Arkansas Programs to Reduce Obesity Rates, by Rich Huddleston, Executive Director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families and Sandra Miller, Owner of ComMetrics, Inc.

• Evidence Update by Arlo Kahn, MD and Senior Advisor at the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement.

Following a working lunch and afternoon of discussion, a list of policy recommendations was presented by each group. Click here for a list of recommendations. Participants were encouraged to take recommendations back to their places of business and colleagues and to look for ways to implement.

The summit was funded by the Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and co-sponsored by the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, the Arkansas Department of Health and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, College of Public Health.

Resources:

Menu Labeling Slide Presentation - ACOP 10/27/08

Reversing Childhood and Adolescent Obesity, A Review of the Evidence, prepared for Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas and Arkansas Children's Hospital

May 22, 2008 Arkansas Obesity Policy Summit Review