Regulating Obesity?: Government, Society, and Questions of Health

Regulating Obesity?: Government, Society, and Questions of Health explores the effectiveness of legal interventions aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles. In this book, W.A. Bogart suggests that the government's emphasis on encouraging weight loss and preventing excess weight gain have largely failed to resolve obesity and have instead fueled prejudice against overweight people. He suggests that a major challenge lies in shifting norms away from stigmatization of the obese and towards more nutritious and healthy lifestyle habits in addition to the acceptance of bodies in all shapes and sizes. Part of this challenge lies in the complex effects of law and its relationship with norms, including the unintended consequences of regulation. Regulating Obesity? begins by arguing for the protection of the overweight and obese from discrimination through human rights laws. It then examines three other areas of interventions--marketing, fiscal policy, and physical activity--and how these interventions operate within the context of "health equity." Professor Bogart evaluates the effectiveness of legal regulation in addressing obesity and concludes that a healthier population is more important than a thinner population. Regulating Obesity? is the first book to engage in the comprehensive evaluation of this role for law and the implications of society's fascination with regulating consumption.

About the Author :
W. A. Bogart is a University Professor and Professor of Law at the University of Windsor. He received his B.A. and LL.B. from the University of Toronto and his LL.M. from Harvard University, and is the author of several books, including, most recently, Permit But Discourage: Regulating Excessive Consumption (Oxford University Press, 2011). Professor Bogart was a Virtual Scholar in Residence for the Law Commission of Canada (2002-03) and is a frequent consultant to government and other public bodies regarding legal policy.

Review :
"Obesity might not have a particularly obvious relationship with the law, but University of Windsor law professor Bill Bogart is making a compelling case that regulation has a role to play in addressing the issue in a more humane manner." -Glenn Kauth, Law Times A worthy successor to the author's 2010 monograph, Permit But Discourage: Regulating Excessive Consumption. Bogart, argues that laws aimed at promoting healthier lifestyles by encouraging weight loss have mostly failed. Instead of preventing obesity, these laws have merely fueled prejudice against fat people. -Jim Chen, Jurisdynamics "This book should be lauded for doing what a lot of sociolegal and policy scholars do not do - bridge the gap between the fields of law and policy... I also encourage all law and policy scholars to consider reading it because the author explores the interplay of law, policy, and society in new, creative, and innovative ways." -Aaron J. Ley, Department of Political Science, University of Rhode Island, Law and Politics Book Review "Bogart achieves what he set out to do - showing law to be 'a powerful but limited tool for addressing behaviour' that achieves only some of what people expect of it. He strips away the false simplicity of obesity problem, and reveals the complexity that lies beneath." -Sas Ansari, Osgoode Hall Law Journal "Overall, the book gives an excellent review of existing uses of law to address obesity and various perspectives from stakeholders." -Tinapa Himathongkam, George Mason University, World Medical and Health Policy "Regulating Obesity provides a concise examination of public policy intended to address obesity. Because Bogart is forthright about the complexity of obesity and legal strategies for addressing it, he is offering a perspective that is sadly lacking from much of the policy dialogue about obesity...if you are serious about health policy and one of the biggest threats to health for this century, this book is well worth your time." -ConscienHealth "Bogart's style is straightforward and lucid, making this an easily digestible read. He draws on high quality research and uses it to create clear and coherent arguments. Regulating Obesity? is a thoughtful and insightful contribution to the debate. It's a timely reminder that in public policy good intentions are not enough - we need to assess the evidence and tread carefully." - Phil McCarthy, The New Bioethics