Obesity — The New Frontier of Public Health Law

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 354; no. 24; pp. 2601 - 2610
• Main Authors: Mello, Michelle M, Studdert, David M, Brennan, Troyen A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 15.06.2006
• Subjects: Advertising as Topic - history; Advertising as Topic - legislation & jurisprudence; Biological and medical sciences; Consumer Advocacy - legislation & jurisprudence; Descriptive labeling; Food Industry - legislation & jurisprudence; Food Labeling - legislation & jurisprudence; General aspects; Government Regulation; Health care policy; Health Policy - legislation & jurisprudence; Health Promotion; History, 20th Century; Humans; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Obesity; Obesity - prevention & control; Public health; Public Health - legislation & jurisprudence; Public Opinion; State Government; Television - history; Television - legislation & jurisprudence; United States; United States Federal Trade Commission - history; United States Food and Drug Administration - history; United States; Medicine; Obesity; Public law; Nutritional status; Public health; Nutrition disorder
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJMhpr060227

The growing prevalence of obesity among adults and children has prompted legal initiatives designed to combat this public health problem. The authors describe litigation and legislation that target obesity and discuss the potential for public health law to reduce obesity in the United States. The authors describe litigation and legislation that target obesity and discuss the potential for public health law to reduce obesity in the United States. The law is now firmly established as a powerful instrument of public health. 1 Some of the most important public health victories in the United States in the past century — declining lead exposure, reduced rates of smoking, improvements in workplace and motor vehicle safety, and increased vaccination rates — are the result of new legislation, heightened regulatory enforcement, litigation, or a combination of the three. 2 – 4 With each victory, confidence mounts in the capacity of legal tools to be used in combating serious health threats. One of the newest targets of public health law is obesity. 5 The past few years . . .