1. Obesity Prevention Summit: Policy Solutions for a Healthier Washington Hugh Ewart Seattle Children’s Hospital November 15, 2011

2. Overview Seattle Children’s Institutional Snapshot Cafeteria and Vending Philosophy and Changes Beverages SSB Consumption: Role of Individual Impact possible Sustainable only in concert with other supports SSB Policy Change by Government: Politics Power of the T word in a recession Powerful interest groups

3. Seattle Children’s Institutional Snapshot 250 bed pediatric referral center Serving largest landmass of any free-standing children’s hospital in US (Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho) Over 2/3 of patients have multiple chronic conditions 1/3 of patients are overweight or obese. 40% in our Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic Breadth of obesity research

5. Seattle Children’s Institutional Snapshot Increased healthy food and beverage options in cafeteria and food vending machines Soda not on patient menus Soda Free Sundays New vendor will allow significant increase in healthy vending machine beverage options in coming months

6. SSB Consumption: Role of Individual Beverage consumption a modifiable behavior change Changing food consumption behavior much more complicated Food=indisputable human need Soda=unnecessary for human survival External supports imperative to sustain behavior change

7. SSB Policy Change by Government: Politics Taxes hard during economic downturns Philadelphia SSB tax $10M obesity research grant offered by soda industry Tax effort halted Modest Washington State soda tax American Beverage Association spends $17M to overturn legislative-approved ‘grocery tax’

8. Questions?