Campus News

CDC obesity expert will give overview of policies in U.S.

Dietz
William Dietz

World-renowned obesity expert Dr. William H. Dietz, director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will present a seminar, “An Overview of U.S. Obesity Public Policies,” April 5 at 11 a.m. in 215 of the Ramsey Student Center. Seating is limited, so the seminar also may be accessed through Wimba Classroom.   

Prior to his appointment to the CDC, Dietz was a professor of pediatrics at the Tufts University School of Medicine and director of clinical nutrition at the Floating Hospital of New England ­Medical Center Hospitals. He received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970 and a doctorate in nutritional biochemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is a member of the Institute of Medicine, a recipient of the Holroyd-Sherry Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics for his contributions to the field of children and the media and the recipient of the 2006 Nutrition Research Award from the AAP for outstanding research in pediatric nutrition.

UGA launched it campus-wide Obesity Initiative in January to help the state address its growing epidemic of childhood and adult obesity as well as the increasing incidence of overweight infants. The initiative blends obesity-related instruction and research activities with its public service and outreach components to develop obesity prevention and treatment programs that can be implemented by Georgia communities, employers and healthcare providers.

To participate in the live Wimba Classroom session, go to http://uga2.wimba.com/launcher.cgi?room=ugaobesity. A window will appear and the Room ID field already will be populated. Type in your name and select enter. You will be prompted to run the setup wizard to verify that your computer is ready.  It is recommended that you run this at least a day before the actual session begins.  If you encounter any problems, contact the EITS Help Desk at 706-542-3106 or helpdesk@uga.edu.