SUDC 385

Public Health Policies for Obesity and Food Addiction

The obesity epidemic in the United States and worldwide continues unabated despite major efforts in the public and private sector to establish effective health policies. This course introduces students to US government public health policies of adult obesity as well as other current thinking in this area. Students will also examine the implications of new science on food addiction as it pertains to public health policy. The course will examine ways in which the different but often co-occurring diseases of obesity, eating disorders and chemical dependency on food overlap and how they also may require different public health policies. Students will consider what can be done by individuals, families, schools, private business, the food industry and government

Units: 3.0