Collection:LPB

Genre: Panel

Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority

Date Issued: 2012-02-22

Duration: 00:56:55

Subjects: Filmed panel discussions | Health | Obesity | Weight loss

Contributors:

• Sanford, Shauna Host
• Gautreaux, Kevin Producer
• Pitcher, Arlene Interviewee
• Piglia, Susan Interviewee
• Gordon, Stewart Interviewee
• Heymsfield, Steven Interviewee
• Guidry, Jimmy Interviewee
• Champagne, Catherine Interviewee
• Hammet, Tara Speaker
• Yowell, Kristy Speaker
• Fagan, Susan Speaker
• Wales, June Speaker
• Campbell, Marcia Speaker
• Odom, Charlotte Speaker
• Chaussey, Beverly Speaker
• Williams, Ray, Sr. Speaker
• Gauthreaux, Joseph Speaker
• Moulder, Robin Speaker
• Barron, Al Speaker
• Mohanty, Rama Speaker
• Dewey, Linda Speaker
• Jackson, Ava Speaker
• Greenstein, Bruce Panelist
• Elkind-Hirsch, Karen Panelist
• Katzmarzyk, Peter Panelist
• Phenow, Kenneth Panelist

This episode of the series “Louisiana Public Square” from February 22, 2012, features Shauna Sanford leading a discussion between the audience members and panelists on obesity in Louisiana. A background report on the topic precedes the discussion. It includes interviews with: Arlene Pitcher, Ochsner employee; Susan Piglia, the director of corporate programs at Ochsner; Dr. Stewart Gordon, the chairman of the Louisiana Council on Obesity Prevention; Dr. Steven Heymsfield, the executive director of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge; Dr. Jimmy Guidry, the state health officer with the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; and Dr. Catherine Champagne of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center. The audience members then discuss: whether obesity is a public health or personal responsibility issue; the need for more nutritional education; and taxing junk food. A panel of experts then joins the audience to answer their questions. The panelists are: Secretary Bruce Greenstein of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals; Dr. Karen Elkind-Hirsch, the scientific director of the Woman’s Metabolic Health Center at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge; Dr. Peter Katzmarzyk, the associate executive director for population science at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center; and Dr. Kenneth Phenow, the chief medical officer for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. They discuss: their views on taxing junk food; the importance of nutritional education; decreasing portion sizes and increasing physical activity for weight loss and management; the steps being taken to combat the state’s high obesity rate; the impact of a mother’s health on her baby; employer wellness programs; the definition of obesity; and the evolving research on the diseases linked to obesity.