320.000 WEIGHT MANAGEMENT & PROMOTION OF HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

(See also Education 85.000; Health Screening Programs, 125.000)

320.988        Supporting Efforts to Reduce Sodium Intake

MSSNY supports efforts to reduce sodium intake by New York State consumers.  (HOD 2011-150; Reaffirmed HOD 2021)

320.989        Decreasing the Incidence of Obesity and Negative Sequelae by Reducing the Cost Disparity Between Calorie-Dense, Nutrition-Poor Foods and Nutrition-Dense Foods:

MSSNY supports:

• efforts which seek to decrease the price gap between calorie-dense, nutrition-poor (CDNP) foods and naturally nutrition-dense (ND) foods to improve health in economically disadvantaged populations by encouraging the expansion, through increased funds and increased enrollment, of existing programs that seek to improve nutrition and reduce obesity such as the Farmer’s Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) as a part of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program;
• novel application of FMNP to existing programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and apply program models that incentivize the consumption of ND foods in wider food distribution venues than solely in farmer’s markets as part of WIC. (HOD 2010-168; Amended and reaffirmed HOD 2020)

320.990        Financing Obesity Programs in New York State:

MSSNY is to:

-support initiatives to reduce the incidence of obesity in New York State;

-assume a leadership role in collaborating with other interested organizations, including state medical specialty societies, to discuss ways to finance a comprehensive state program for the study, prevention and treatment of obesity in New York State; and

-continue monitoring and supporting state and national policies and regulations that encourage healthy life styles and promote obesity prevention. (HOD 2009-162; Reaffirmed HOD 2019)

320.991        Promoting Healthy Foods:

MSSNY will (1) continue to advocate for a healthy diet for all; (2) support legislative efforts to establish New York State nutritional standards within the educational system; (3) recommend to hospitals, schools, nursing homes, patients and its physician members that foods should meet the accepted nutritional standards; and, (4) together with the American Medical Association, promote and advocate legislation that promotes the availability of fruits, vegetables and whole grain foods.  (HOD 2008-150; Reaffirmed HOD 2018)

320.992         Reduction of Trans Fats in Food Preparation in Restaurants on a Statewide Basis: 

MSSNY will support and encourage the reduction of trans fats in food preparation in restaurants on a statewide basis.  (Council 1/25/07; Reaffirmed HOD 2017)

320.993           Obesity Reaching Epidemic Proportions in Children and  Adolescents: SUNSET HOD 2015

320.994           2005 USDA Dietary Guidelines: 

MSSNY supports the wide use of the USDA Dietary Guidelines by a broad spectrum of providers and their patients, and see it as a complement to the MSSNY White Paper on “Weight Management: Promotion of a Healthy Lifestyle”, and that these guidelines be made available on the MSSNY website for use by medical and public health education providers in an effort to focus on weight management and obesity and that MSSNY supports the use of the Body Mass Index (BMI) because it can be compared with previous visits.  (Council 3/14/05; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2015)

320.995        Weight Management Guidelines

Physician Education

The Medical Society will work towards educating its physician members and will work with its various county medical and specialty societies to bring weight management before them.  The Medical Society will educate physicians via its website, through continuing medical education courses, and through other media outlets the Medical Society may have available to them.  Additionally, the Medical Society will enter into a discussion with medical schools regarding the training of medical students with great emphasis on nutrition, weight management and healthy lifestyles.

Community Awareness

The Medical Society will work with state agencies, particularly the Department of Health, in creating awareness for the general public on weight issues.  The Medical Society will also contact representatives within the business community and will work with the New York State Community Health Partnership to promote physical activity and lifestyles within communities.  The Medical Society will also attempt to enlist the support of the fast food industry to “down size” the portions and to increase the availability of nutrition information for food purchase within a fast food restaurant.

Educational Institutions

The Medical Society recommends that increased physical activity be incorporated into the daily schedule at all schools in accordance with the recommendations of “Healthy People 2010”.  (34)  Additionally, the Medical Society will seek to preserve “recess” for all schools to help ensure that children receive physical activity.  Furthermore, the Medical Society will work towards the goal of advocating proper nutrition within the schools and will support legislative efforts to afford good nutritional choices, especially in vending machines and in the lunchroom or cafeteria.

Legislative Initiatives

While some insurance plans and managed care organizations pay for programs related to weight, many in New York State do not.  Therefore, the Medical Society will seek legislation requiring insurance and managed care plans for paying for nutritional visits, bariatric programs, and certain medications.  The Medical Society will also seek coverage for surgical management, including bariatric surgery and reconstructive surgery, related to weight loss and management.  The Medical Society will also support efforts to require the Medicaid program to pay for medications related to weight loss.  Furthermore, weight management problems have both medical and psychological disease origins.  Serious mental illnesses can exacerbate the obesity condition and the conditions related to bulimia and anorexia nervosa.  Therefore, the Medical Society of the State of New York will support legislative efforts to assure that there is coverage for a full continuum of services to treat these illnesses.  Additionally, the Medical Society supports legislation that will eliminate the outpatient and inpatient limits and equalize co-payments and deductibles for mental health coverage.

Position Paper:

Weight Management: Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles

Public Health and Education Report 1   Presented by Sheila Bushkin, MD and the members of the Rural and Preventive Medicine Committee

(HOD 2003; Reaffirmed HOD 04-170; Reaffirmed HOD 2005-165; Reaffirmed HOD 2015; Reaffirmed HOD 2019 in lieu of res 257)

320.996           Overweight and Obesity Control as a Major Public Health Program:

That MSSNY:

1. urge physicians as well as managed care organizations and other third-party payors to recognize obesity as a complex disorder involving appetite regulation and energy metabolism that is associated with a variety of co-morbid conditions;
2. work with appropriate state and federal agencies, medical specialty societies, and public health organizations to educate physicians about the prevention and management of overweight and obesity in children and adults, including education in basic principles and practices of physical activity and nutrition counseling; such training should be included in undergraduate and graduate medical education and through accredited continuing medical education programs;
3. urge state and federal support of research to determine: (a) the causes and mechanisms of overweight and obesity, including biological, social, and epidemiological influences on weight gain, weight loss, and weight maintenance; (b) the long-term safety and efficacy of voluntary weight maintenance and weight loss practices and therapies, including surgery; (c) effective interventions to prevent obesity in children and adults; and (d) the effectiveness of weight loss counseling by physicians;
4. encourage state and national efforts to educate the public about the health risks of being overweight, and obese and provide information about how to achieve and maintain a preferred healthy weight;
5. urge physicians to assess their patients for overweight and obesity during routine medical examinations and discuss with at-risk patients the health consequences of further weight gain; if treatment is indicated, physicians should encourage and facilitate weight maintenance or reduction efforts in their patients or refer them to a physician with special interest and expertise in the clinical management of obesity;
6. urge all physicians and patients to maintain a desired weight and prevent inappropriate weight gain;
7. encourage physicians to become knowledgeable of community resources and referral services that can assist with the management of overweight and obese patients; and
8. urge the appropriate state and federal agencies to work with organized medicine and the health insurance industry to develop coding and payment mechanisms for the evaluation and management of obesity. (HOD 2003-152; Reaffirmed HOD 2013; reaffirmed HOD 2023)

320.997            Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles: SUNSET HOD 2013

320.998            Medical Treatment and Prevention of Obesity: SUNSET HOD 2013

320.999            Physical Activity Increase for US Adults and Children:

MSSNY supports The US Department of Health and Human Services recommendation for every adult to have 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity a week and for children to have 60 minutes in the course of each day.   (HOD 1995-172; Reaffirmed HOD 1999-151; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)