On the subject of mental health professionals and obesity, it is worth noting that a lot of obesity-causing behavior is based on the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).

Standup comedian Lisa Lampanelli’s play “Stuffed” revolves around women and their food and body-image issues.

FOMO is a treatable problem that can be approached in a number of ways by allied healthcare providers who are neither MDs nor psychiatrists.

Even though it’s not established that obesity is an addictive process, this does not preclude using an addiction-model methods, proved effective to treat it.

Having discussed the almost non-existent role of psychiatrists in treating obesity, we now look at the psychiatric or mental health nurse practitioner.

Since most obesity results from overeating, which should be defined as an eating disorder, is it most effectively treated by the mental health professionals?

Are people trained in the mental health field the most appropriate and potentially effective treaters of obesity?

A lot of taxpayer dollars could have been put to better use such as, to name just a few possibilities, obesity prevention and treatment and diabetes prevention.

When the Chicago soda tax was threatened by a lawsuit and a restraining order, officials cast aside all pretense of intent to raise money to fight obesity.

While various soda tax battles were being waged in California, Colorado, and other states, Illinois entered the fray with a saga worthy of a TV mini-series.

The rationale for a soda tax is that money is spent on anti-obesity measures, but in reality the money often goes to all kinds of things.

Early last year, an attempt was made to tax soda, but the public wasn’t having it. Even the suggestion to label high-sugar beverages was shot down.

‘Tis the season of what? Maybe regretful groans. Or it could be day after day of opportunities to practice new skills.

To overcome FOMO, abolish the scarcity mindset and cultivate the abundance mindset. Bring mindfulness to the table for every meal.

A summary of the 10 things learned from an important study on obesity prevention by the state of Arkansas (with the help of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation).

Here are the 10 main obesity prevention conclusions in an Arkansas public school system experiment backed by the RWJF.

Using edible or drinkable treats as a reward is always a mistake, whether done by teachers or parents.

EMA and EMI are being used in research to help reveal what causes the increasingly alarming childhood obesity statistics.

Ecological Momentary Assessment can stand alone as a treatment modality for obesity, without bringing pharmaceuticals or invasive procedures into the picture.

Part data-collection technique and part therapeutic modality, Ecological Momentary Assessment is adaptable to many situations, including treating obesity.

Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) cultivates self awareness and collects “ecologically valid” data, which could be useful in treating obesity.

The mind is a trickster, especially when rewards are involved, and food is very rewarding.

Childhood Obesity News looks at the importance of weighing food portions as part of the W8Loss2Go program.

In developing the W8Loss2Go addiction approach for weight loss, Dr. Pretlow has noticed that some kids resist weighing their food portions.

The steps of the W8Loss2Go program are withdrawal from problem foods, withdrawal from snacking or grazing, and food scale-weighing.

Young people are fed up with nutrition information. What they cry out for is a way to cope with the desire to overeat.

Can inpatient rehab methods that treat childhood obesity be replicated in a way that makes them widely available at a lower cost?

According to one meta study, the rate of childhood obesity has multiplied tenfold since 1975. It’s now pushing 20%.

In defeating childhood obesity, methods that work for adults, namely inpatient rehab facilities and bariatric surgery, are not always suitable for children.

The capacity of various social media platforms to play a positive role in affecting the rate of childhood obesity is enormous.