An ad hoc committee will plan and conduct a one-day public workshop that will feature invited presentations and discussions to examine the status of the global obesity pandemic, and explore approaches aimed at managing the problem in different settings around the world. Workshop presentations will characterize the nature of obesity and discuss the importance of understanding the obesity epidemic in global context. The workshop will also include perspectives on the implications of obesity as a global problem for prevention and treatment efforts in the US, with an emphasis on reducing disparities. The workshop will explore the current state of the science on prevalence, trends, cost, and drivers of obesity globally, focusing on country or regional differences. Presentations and discussions will highlight efforts to identify, promote, and monitor policy and systems initiatives related to obesity prevention and control---related to nutrition and physical activity---worldwide. Using country- or region-specific examples, discussion will highlight the complexity of the global approach to managing the obesity epidemic (e.g., how it is embedded in the response to addressing non-communicable diseases, the “double burden” of undernutrition and obesity, and implementation challenges in low and middle-income countries).

The committee will define the specific topics to be addressed, develop the agenda, and select and invite speakers and other participants. Additionally, the proceedings of a workshop---in brief and full workshop proceedings of the presentations and discussions at the workshop will be prepared by a designated rapporteur in accordance with institutional guidelines.