Evolution of the Obesity Epidemic and Efforts to Contain It

Dr. William Dietz is the director of the Redstone Global Center for Prevention and Wellness at George Washington University's Milken Institute School of Public Health, where he is leading innovative strategies to expand wellness and the prevention of chronic diseases. A member of the prestigious National Institute of Medicine, he has a distinguished career that includes fifteen years as the director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prior to that he was a professor of pediatrics at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Dietz's work in the field of childhood obesity includes the first study to demonstrate a relationship between television viewing habits and obesity in young children. He has also been recognized for his efforts to improve school lunches.