Learning from our Past to Help Save Our Future: Historical Public Health Crises and How These Lessons Will Help Solve Obesity

Kate M. Emminger, University of San Francisco

Abstract

The obesity epidemic continues to plague the United States. Debates regarding strategies to solve the obesity crisis are constant but little has been accomplished by public health officials. Obesity is a multi-faceted, stigmatized problem, but it is not beyond the reach of public health. To prove that public health strategies must be utilized to solve the obesity crisis, this paper makes a comparative analysis between past successful public health campaigns and the obesity epidemic. Enlightening parallels exist between the bubonic plague, tobacco cessation and obesity. The bubonic plague parallels obesity because the plague lacked a pill or vaccine cure, was largely misunderstood, and harbored a social stigma. Similarly, the tobacco crisis parallels obesity because both public health problems involve the interests of big business, invoke a feeling of individual liberty, were new, developing health issues and harbored unique social attitudes. In examining the successful public health strategies utilized to overcome these crises, it becomes obvious that the same strategies can be successfully applied to solve obesity. Strategies such as environmental changes, menu labeling and monetary incentives can be utilized to successfully solve the obesity epidemic. The comparative analysis between the bubonic plague, smoking cessation, and obesity offers a persuasive roadmap for curing the worst health crisis to face this generation.