Obesity Surgery: Stories Of Altered Lives

Selected Resources for Public and Health Professionals

Selected Resources for Public and Health Professionals Comprehensive Obesity Resources: Definitions, Causes, Prevalence, Advocacy, and Treatments of Obesity American Obesity Association 1250 Twenty-fourth St. nw Suite 300 Washington, dc 20037 Telephone: 202–776–7711 Fax: 202–776–7712 E-mail: executive@obesity.org Web: http://www.obesity.org Summary: The American Obesity Association is devoted to advocacy and education on issues related to overweight and obesity. The comprehensive Web site promotes education, research, and community and government legislative action to improve the quality of life for people with obesity. Obesity fact sheets are available in Spanish. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 1600 Clifton Rd. Atlanta, ga 30333 Public inquiries: 404–639–3534 or 800–311–3435 Web: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/ Summary: The Department of Health and Human Services’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a comprehensive collection of information 235 and resources for individuals interested in learning more about overweight and obesity. The Web site contains the most recent statistics on the obesity epidemic , including a state-by-state graphical representation of obesity prevalence in the United States, definitions of overweight and obesity for adults and kids, economic consequences of obesity, information on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity, state-based programs, and frequently asked questions. Obesity Action Coalition 4511 North Himes Ave. Suite 250 Tampa, fl 33614 Telephone: 813–872–7835 Toll-free: 800–717–3117 Fax: 813–873–7838 E-mail: info@obesityaction.org Web: http://www.obesityaction.org/ summary: The Obesity Action Coalition offers education, advocacy, and support to those affected by obesity and strives to eliminate the negative stigma associated with all types of obesity. Among numerous other features on their Web site are a body mass index calculator and a support-group locator by region. ObesityHelp, Inc. 8001 Irvine Center Dr. Suite 1270 Irvine, ca 92618 Telephone: 866–957–4636 Web: http://www.obesityhelp.com/home/ summary: ObesityHelp is dedicated to the education, empowerment, and support of all individuals affected by obesity, along with their families, friends, employers, surgeons, and physicians. It offers tools to locate professions by region and an opportunity to read reviews of their experiences, chat forums, and its own magazine. The Web site also features information on reconstructive surgery after weight loss surgery and a tool to help find a reconstructive surgeon by region. 236 Selected Resources Obesity Law and Advocacy Center 1392 East Palomar St. Suite 403–233 Chula Vista, ca 91913 Telephone: 619–656–5251 Fax: 619–656–5254 Web: http://www.obesitylaw.com/ summary: The Obesity Law and Advocacy Center provides advocacy for morbidly obese persons who have been denied health insurance coverage for medically necessary procedures or who have been wrongfully terminated or discriminated against in the workplace because of their weight. Weight-Control Information Network 1 win Way Bethesda, md 20892–3665 Phone: 202–828–1025 Toll-free: 877–946–4627 Fax: 202–828–1028 E-mail: win@info.niddk.nih.gov Web: http://www.win.niddk.nih.gov summary: The Weight-Control Information Network (win) is a service of the NationalInstituteofDiabetesandDigestiveandKidneyDiseasesoftheNational Institutes of Health, which is the U.S. government’s lead agency responsible for biomedical research on nutrition and obesity. Authorized by Congress (Public Law 103–43), win provides the general public, health professionals, the media, and Congress with up-to-date, science-based information on weight control, obesity, physical activity, and related nutritional issues. Weight Loss–Surgery Books Apple, R.F., J.Locke, and R.Peeples. Preparing for Weight Loss Surgery Workbook. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Goldberg, M.C., G.Cowan, and W.Y.Marcus. Weight Loss Surgery: Is It Right for You? New York: Square One Publishers, 2005. Janeway, J.M., K.J.Sparks, and R.S.Baker. The Real Skinny on Weight Loss Surgery: Selected Resources 237 An Indispensable Guide to What You Can Really Expect! Onondaga, Mich.: Little Victories Press, 2005. Kurian, M.S., B.Thompson, and B.K.Davidson. Weight Loss Surgery for Dummies. New York: Wiley, 2005. Woodward, B.G. A Complete Guide to Obesity Surgery: Everything You Need to Know About Weight Loss Surgery and How to Succeed. Victoria, b.c.: Trafford, 2001. Nutrition and Physical Fitness Resources For information about the new food pyramid, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Web site at http://www.mypyramid.gov. For information about understanding and using the “Nutrition Facts” label on food products, visit the U...