Fat People Eat Too Much? The ethics of obesity
Seminar/Forum
Friday 25 July 2008 @ 02:00 pm - 05:00 pmSunderland Lecture Theatre, Ground Floor, Medical Building (bldg 181), Corner Grattan Street & Royal Parade, Parkville
Convened by Professor Jeffery Zajac, Head, Department of Medicine, (Austin Health/Northern Health
The title is contentious. The medical information is contradictory. Patients, doctors, governments and the public are
confused. Who is to blame? What to do? How to approach the problem?
The only thing almost everyone agrees on is that obesity is becoming more common and is occurring at a younger age.
Do fat people eat too much? We all know that to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than you expend – but this is easier said than done.
This seminar will explore the ethics of obesity from the personal, medical, social and commercial viewpoint. It will examine the widespread discrimination against obese
individuals in all areas of life - including access to medical care.
Is this problem to be fixed by social change, government policy, new drugs, better medical services or patient education? Nothing is clear. Only one thing is predictable: there will be no consensus!
Speakers and panel members:
* Scott Baker - Consultant Endocrinologist and Endocrinology Research Fellow, The University of Melbourne
* Anna Peeters - Research Fellow, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
* Matthew Sabin - Clinical Research Fellow, Royal Children’s Hospital
* Bebe Loff - Head, Human Rights and Bioethics Unit, Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine, Monash University
* Stephen Shillington - Regional Manager, Victoria/Tasmania/South Australia, McDonald’s
* Flip Shelton - Writer, presenter, broadcaster and media commentator
* Clem Tickner
Enquiries:
Janice Powell
+61 3 8344 5888
j.powell@ unimelb.edu.au
http://www.mdhs.unimelb.edu.au/news/deanslecture/2008
RSVP:
mdhs-rsvp@ unimelb.edu.au