Haverford College Department of Psychology Fall 2014 Psychology 327. Supersized Nation: Understanding and Managing America s Obesity Epidemic

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1 Haverford College Department of Psychology Fall 2014 Psychology 327 Course: Instructor: Day/Time: Supersized Nation: Understanding and Managing America s Obesity Epidemic Thomas A. Wadden, Ph.D. Visiting Professor of Psychology, Haverford College; Albert Stunkard Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry; Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Phone: ; address: wadden@mail.med.upenn.edu; twadden@haverford.edu; (Please use both addresses when writing.) Tuesdays: 7:00-9:30 PM Course Overview This course will examine the multiple causes and consequences of obesity, at both an individual and societal level. Basic mechanisms of body weight regulation will first be considered, along with wide-scale changes in diet, eating habits, and physical activity that have contributed to our nation s epidemic of obesity. The benefits, challenges, and potential harms of weight reduction will be reviewed, as will specific therapies to help individuals lose weight (including diet, physical activity, behavior therapy, medication, and surgery). The alarming increases in child and adolescent obesity will be examined, in conjunction with efforts to prevent and treat these conditions. Two other disorders that affect primarily youth anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa will be briefly discussed (i.e., one class). The course will conclude with a consideration of innovative approaches, rooted in public health and social policy, which are needed to reverse the current epidemic of obesity that threatens the health of both individuals and our nation. The course is appropriate for psychology majors (and other students) who are interested in clinical applications of psychology (and other health sciences) to the problem of obesity. Students should have a basic understanding of how randomized controlled trials are used to test the effectiveness of different interventions. Texts Required: Brownell KD, Horgen KB. Food Fight: The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America s Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It. New York: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, (Students should purchase a copy of the book.) 1

2 Grilo CG. Eating and Weight Disorders. New York: Psychology Press, (Students do not need to purchase this book. Multiple copies of the book will be on reserve at the library.) Kopelman PG, Caterson ID, Dietz WH. Clinical Obesity in Adults and Children; Third Edition. Oxford:Wiley-Blackwell, (Students should not purchase this book. Multiple copies will be on reserve at the library.) Wadden TA, Wilson GT, Stunkard AJ, Berkowitz RI. Obesity and Associated Eating Disorders: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals. Philadelphia: Saunders, (Students do not need to purchase this book. Multiple copies will be on reserve at the library.) A supplementary course pack of readings (and PDFs), consisting principally of journal articles, will be provided to students at no cost. Recommended/Optional: Kumanyika SK, Brownson R. Handbook of Obesity Prevention: A Resource for Health Professionals. New York: Springer, (Multiple copies of the text will be on reserve at the library.) Useful Websites - WIN (Weight Information Network) Course Requirements This course will be taught principally as a seminar (with some PowerPoint presentations to underscore major points). Thus, its success will depend upon students active class participation and leadership. This will include serving as an expert reviewer for some of the articles discussed in class. During the semester, students will be asked to write 5 thought papers of words in which they respond to a topic provided (on 4 occasions) or to a point of personal interest (1 occasion). Thought papers will count for 50% of the final grade. A final examination, consisting of short answers and essays, will count for 40% of the final grade, with class participation adding 10%. Students who prefer, in lieu of the final exam, to write a paper (10-15 pages) on a topic of interest to them should speak with the instructor. A discussion of the topic and outline of the paper must be approved in advance. 2

3 Class Schedule Sep 2: Overview of the Course and of the Obesity Epidemic Obesity: definitions; epidemiology; health and economic consequences Obesity and Associated Eating Disorders (Obesity-AED): pp Article by Mitchell et al in course pack (pp required). Article by Field et al in course pack. Optional readings: Article by E. Ford Runge in course pack Sep 9: The Biology of Body Weight Regulation Energy expenditure and balance; body composition; control of food intake; genetic factors Clinical Obesity in Adults and Children (Clinical Obesity): pp 67-73, 76-77; pp 82-83, (The remainder of each chapter is optional.) Article by Faulconbridge et al in course pack ( ). Article by Murtagh et al in course pack. Optional readings: Article by Stunkard et al in course pack. Sep 16: Behavioral, Dietary, and Environmental Contributors to Obesity: Part I Diet; sugar-sweetened beverages; portion size Food Fight: pp 3-19, 21-51, , Articles by Rolls et al, Wansink et al, Ludwig et al, and Ebbeling et al in course pack. Optional readings: Articles by Rolls, Vartanian et al, and Bray et al in course pack. Thought Paper #1 due 3

4 Sep 23: Behavioral, Dietary, and Environmental Contributors to Obesity: Part II Physical activity, culture, environment Food Fight: pp 69-96; Clinical Obesity: pp 41-57, Articles by Nelson et al, Crespo et al, Epstein et al, and Christakis et al in course pack. Optional readings: Articles by Prentice et al, Keith et al in course pack. Sep 30: Obesity and Psycho-social Status Depression; anxiety; binge eating; prejudice and bias against obese individuals Obesity-AED: pp , Articles by Fabricatore et al, Simon et al, Faith et al, Puhl et al in course pack. Optional readings: Jones-Corneille et al in course pack. Oct 7: Obesity: A disease, psychiatric disorder, or lifestyle problem? Health complications of obesity; defining disease; addiction Articles by Heshka et al, Marcus et al, Gearhardt et al, Volkow et al, Volkow et al, Wilson et al, and Davis et al in course pack. Thought Paper #2 due Oct 14: Oct 21: Fall Break Losing Weight: Benefits, Challenges, and Potential Harms Health and quality of life; weight regain; restrained (and disordered) eating Eating and Weight Disorders: pp Articles by Campos et al, Wadden, Knowler et al, Look AHEAD Research 4

5 group, Polivy et al, and Wadden et al in the course pack. Oct 28: Weight Management: Diet and Exercise Calories count; macronutrient composition; types of physical activity Obesity-AED: pp , Nov 4: Weight Management: Lifestyle Modification, Pharmacotherapy, and Surgery Behavior therapy; FDA-approved medications; surgery (gastric bypass) Obesity-AED: pp , Thought Paper #3 due Nov 11: Obesity in Children and Adolescents Diagnosis; causes; health and psychosocial consequences Clinical Obesity: pp Nov 18: Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Youth School-based prevention efforts; lifestyle modification; medication; surgery Clinical Obesity: pp Thought Paper #4 due Nov 25: Eating Disorders in Youth and Young Adults Anorexia nervosa; bulimia nervosa; body image disturbance Eating and Weight Disorders: pp 1-17, 27-38, 41-53, 67-85,

6 Dec 2: Obesity Prevention: What s Preventing the U.S. from Preventing Obesity? Multi-factorial problem; roles of academia, government, and industry Food Fight: , Clinical Obesity: Thought Paper #5 (student s choice) due by this class. Dec 9: Obesity Prevention: New Directions in Public Health and Policy Public health vs medical model; food taxes and restrictions; nudges Food Fight: , 313 Clinical Obesity: TBD Final Examination (or page paper) 6