Research Tools
Obesity policy databases and websites for policy information
For information on federal legislation filed in the current Congressional session:
- On The Library of Congress’ legislative information site you can search by bill number or keywords for all legislation introduced in the current, as well as past, sessions. www.thomas.gov
- The Campaign to End Obesity has a list of bills introduced in the 110th (current) Congress. http://www.obesitycampaign.org/obesity_legislation.html
- The National Conference of State Legislatures has a listing of state legislation on childhood obesity policy as of 2006 http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/ChildhoodObesity-2006.htm
Websites of organizations working on food and obesity policy
- American Dietetic Association www.eatright.org
- California Center for Public Health Advocacy www.publichealthadvocacy.org
- Campaign to End Obesity http://obesitycampaign.org/default.asp
- Corporation and Health Project www.corporationsandhealth.org
- Center for Science in the Public Interest http://www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/policy_options.html
- F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2006 http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2006/
- Financing Childhood Obesity Prevention Programs: Federal Funding Sources and Other Strategies http://www.financeproject.org/Publications/obesityprevention.pdf
- Food Research and Action Center www.frac.org
- Food Without Thought: How U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity http://www.iatp.org/iatp/factsheets.cfm?accountID=258&refID=89968
- Government child obesity efforts lacking, say advertisers http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/news/ng.asp?n=75261-ana-childhood-obesity
- Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy http://www.iatp.org
- Institute of Medicine www.iom.edu
- Kaiser Family Foundation www.kff.org
- Menu labeling, trans fat & lawsuit preemption http://www.restaurant.org/government/state/nutrition/index.cfm
- Most Americans Want Public Policies to Prevent Obesity http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/newsstory.asp?docID=600516
- NAASO, The Obesity Society www.naaso.org
- National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy/nana.html
- National Summit on Obesity Policy
http://www.obesitycampaign.org/obesity_summit.html - Public Health Advocacy Institute www.phaionline.org
- Public Health Law and Policy http://www.phlaw.org/
- Public Policy as a Tool in Obesity Prevention: California’s Experience http://www.communityhealthpartnership.org/pdf/genius_keynote.pdf
- Trust for America’s Health: http://healthyamericans.org/
- The Politics of Obesity: Seven Steps to Government Action Address: http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/21/6/142.pdf
- University of Minnesota Obesity Prevention Center www.obesityprevention.umn.edu/obp.html
- Strategic Alliance’s local policy initiatives (need to check out more)
- International Food Policy Research Institute http://www.ifpri.org/
In fighting for good public policies, it’s very important to know who opposes them. The following is a list of websites of the trade associations representing the food and marketing industry and other organizations which generally oppose obesity policy. Most have policy and advocacy pages.
- American Advertising Federation http://www.aaf.org/
- American Beverage Association http://www.ameribev.org/index.aspx
- American Council on Science and Health http://www.acsh.org/
- American Sugar Alliance http://www.sugaralliance.org
- Center for Consumer Freedom www.consumerfreedom.com
- Grocery Manufacturers Association http://www.gmabrands.com/
- National Council of Chain Restaurants http://www.nccr.net/
- National Restaurant Association http://www.restaurant.org/index.cfm
- Snack Food Association http://www.sfa.org/
- Sugar Association http://www.sugar.org/
- Sweetener Users Association http://www.sweetenerusers.org
Websites: Blogs
- Parke Wilde, Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Assistant Professor http://usfoodpolicy.blogspot.com/
- Marion Nestle, NYU Professor http://whattoeatbook.com/
- Summary of Farm Policy News http://www.farmpolicy.com/?p=540