STOP Obesity Alliance researchers receive $250,000 donation to research on health impact of obesity

The research team of The George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services' Department of Health Policy's Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance received a $250,000 donation from Allergan, Inc. to support public health, policy analysis and research about the economic and health impact of obesity and related chronic diseases. The donation is part of Allergan, Inc.'s public awareness and advocacy campaign called C.H.O.I.C.E. - Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment - which advocates for consumers, healthcare professionals and Congress to work together to successfully address the adult obesity epidemic through a dual focus on prevention and treatment.

"Too often, obesity is not treated with the same intensity and seriousness as other chronic conditions. Stigma prevents those who are overweight and obese from getting the treatment they need to regain their health and improve their quality of life," said Christine Ferguson, J.D., research professor of Public Health at The George Washington University and director of STOP Obesity Alliance. "We are in critical need of supporters like Allergan to join us in our research commitment to this issue. Initiatives like the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign are an important step to educate consumers, advocacy groups and healthcare professionals in the collaborative effort to overcome the epidemic of obesity."

The cornerstone of the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign is to provide a national platform for the public - consumers, advocacy groups, healthcare professionals, medical societies and Congress - to learn the facts about obesity, spread the word and actively participate in the campaign to call for greater action and focus on obesity prevention and treatment on both a federal and state level. People can become involved in the Campaign by signing an online petition at www.mychoicecampaign.com, which asks Congress to focus on policies that support obesity prevention and treatment, particularly for the 15 million Americans who remain severely obese (defined as 100 pounds or more overweight) and where prevention will not resolve their obesity. Additional Campaign initiatives taking place throughout 2010 are further described on the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign Web site: www.mychoicecampaign.com

"We are honored that a portion of the C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign is providing essential funding to STOP to help support its important public health and policy initiatives," said David E.I. Pyott, CBE, Allergan's Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "The C.H.O.I.C.E. Campaign is a bold initiative that will need the support of thousands to truly change how we view and treat obesity. Our donation to STOP helps to ensure additional programs focused around the same goal of helping the obese regain their health and lives and alleviating the financial burden on the U.S. healthcare system are made possible."

SOURCE The George Washington University Medical Center