IOM Meeting to Explore Relationship Between Farm/Food Policy and Obesity

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has announced a May 19, 2011, public session
of its Committee on Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention. Titled “Farm
and Food Policy: The Relationship to Obesity Prevention,” the public session is
a one-hour information-gathering forum where committee members will hear
about “the determinants of food producer, manufacturer, and retailer decision
making in the context of obesity prevention,” as well as “the current policy and
political context in which farm and food policy decisions are made.”

According to IOM, “the committee’s charge includes: considering relevant information about progress in the implementation of existing recommendations; developing guiding principles for choosing a set of recommendations; identifying a set of recommendations that is fundamental for substantial progress in obesity prevention in the next decade; and recommending potential indicators that can act as markers of progress.” IOM has solicited written comments on these topics and invited interested stakeholders to give three-minute oral presentations on “relevant information, evidence, and suggestions for the committee to consider as it develops recommendations to accelerate progress in obesity prevention nationwide.”