Report of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Obesity Task Force

Gastroenterology, Volume 132, Issue 6, May 2007, Pages 2272-2275
Lee M. Kaplan, Samuel Klein, Guenther Boden, David A. Brenner, Christopher J. Gostout, Joel E. Lavine, Barry M. Popkin, Bruce D. Schirmer, Randy J. Seeley, Susan Z. Yanovski and Fabio Cominelli

Recommendations Include:
1. The AGA Institute should take a lead role in promoting improved care of patients with obesity. Recognizing that the repertoire of effective therapies for obesity is currently limited, this effort should be highly focused and include the following:
a. Establishing educational programs and clinical guidelines for weight management and to reduce weight-related disparities in medical care (eg, cancer screening)
b. Advocating for full insurance coverage of effective treatments for obesity
c. Advocating for the integration of gastroenterologists in the care of patients undergoing weight loss surgery and for the establishment of multidisciplinary teams for GI-based obesity care services
d. Advocating for the involvement of gastroenterologists and GI-based approaches to obesity treatment; as part of this effort, the AGA Institute should advocate for the establishment of a NIDDK-based RFA for support of translational and clinical research related to obesity
c. Working with industry to promote collaborative approaches to the development, testing, and implementation of GI-based treatments for obesity
d. Establishing a program to heighten awareness of the potential of GI-based therapies for obesity among the regulatory bodies, the clinical and research communities, and the general public in Food and Drug Administration committees that review drugs and devices to treat obesity

2. The AGA Institute should promote expanded programs of basic and clinical research in obesity. Specific recommendations include the following:
a. Establishing a program of dedicated support for research related to body weight regulation and obesity for trainees and junior faculty within the AGA Foundation and soliciting outside support for this program
b. Advocating for expanded support for obesity-related research by the NIDDK, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and other major funding agencies, including through RFAs that target GI-related aspects of obesity and weight regulation

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