Americans Receive Obesity Bill of Rights to Reform Obesity Care
Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
Obesity, recognized as the most widespread and costly chronic disease in the United States, continues to remain largely undiagnosed and untreated, even a decade after its classification as a serious disease by the American Medical Association. In response to this ongoing issue, the National Consumers League and National Council on Aging have unveiled the nation's inaugural "Obesity Bill of Rights." This initiative coincides with the launch of the grassroots movement "Right2ObesityCare," aimed at catalyzing changes in federal, state, and employer policies to incorporate these rights into medical practice.
The Obesity Bill of Rights, developed in consultation with prominent obesity specialists and supported by nearly 40 national organizations dedicated to obesity and chronic diseases, outlines eight essential rights. These rights are designed to ensure that individuals with obesity receive proper screening, diagnosis, counseling, and treatment, while also combating weight bias and ageism within the healthcare system and addressing exclusionary coverage policies imposed by insurers and government agencies.
Sally Greenberg, CEO of the National Consumers League, emphasized the mission of the Obesity Bill of Rights: "Our goal with the Obesity Bill of Rights is to define quality obesity care as the right of all adults and empower those with the disease to ask questions and demand treatment without discrimination or bias regardless of their size or weight. For too long, adults with obesity have encountered a health care system that is working against them."
Currently, only 30 million of the estimated 108 million adults living with obesity have been diagnosed with the condition, and only about 2% of those eligible for anti-obesity medications have been prescribed these treatments. The consequence of untreated obesity for the nation is worsening outcomes for over 230 obesity-related chronic diseases, approximately 400,000 premature deaths a year, and an estimated $1.72 trillion in direct and indirect costs to the U.S. economy.
The Obesity Bill of Rights establishes and promotes eight essential rights to drive transformational change and define the core requirements for people with obesity to receive person-centered, quality care:
The Right to Accurate, Clear, Trusted, and Accessible Information on obesity as a treatable chronic disease.
The Right to Respect by all members of the integrated care team when screening, counseling, and providing treatment.
The Right to Make Treatment Decisions about one's health goals and obesity care in consultation with the individual's health providers.
The Right to Treatment from Qualified Health Providers, including counseling and ongoing care from health providers with expertise in obesity care.
The Right to Person-Centered Care that is personalized, respects the individual's cultural beliefs, meets their specific health goals, and considers the person's whole health and not just their weight status.
The Right to Accessible Obesity Treatment from Health Systems, so those with severe obesity receive care in settings that allow for privacy, using size and weight-accessible equipment and diagnostic scans.
The Right for Older Adults to Receive Quality Obesity Care that comprises a respectful, comprehensive care approach consistent with their personalized medical needs.
The Right to Coverage for Treatment with access to the full range of treatment options for the person's disease as prescribed by the individual's health provider.
Advocacy for implementing the Obesity Bill of Rights offers policymakers new impetus to pass legislation that will remove the regulatory and insurance obstacles that prevent many people with obesity from receiving the care prescribed by their health providers.
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