Eli Lilly Partners with OAC to Produce Bias-Free Obesity Image Gallery

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Eli Lilly partnered with the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) to produce a bias-free obesity image gallery, which is set to debut at the 2024 HLTH Conference, which occurs October 20-23 of this year.¹ The gallery is part of the OAC’s Stop Weight Bias Campaign and is designed to include images that humanize people with obesity.

According to the OAC, people with obesity face negative attitudes, beliefs, judgements, stereotypes, and discriminatory behavior.

In a press release, OAC vide president and chief operating officer James Zervios said, “Weight stigma can have significant mental, physical and emotional impacts on those affected, often discouraging individuals from seeking healthcare. The Stop Weight Bias Image Gallery is reshaping public perceptions of obesity and setting a new standard for accurate, respectful media coverage."

The OAC also recently issued a response to a report from the CDC that shows that 23 states in the US have more than one-in-three adults living with obesity.²

At the time, OAC president and CEO Joe Nadglowski said, “The CDC's report reinforces what we at the OAC have long been advocating: obesity is a serious, chronic and complex disease that demands our urgent attention. This understanding is fundamental to developing effective strategies for obesity prevention, treatment and support."

Nadglowski added, “These findings are a call to action. We need to double down on our efforts to ensure that everyone affected by obesity has access to the care and support they need. This includes advocating for policies that improve access to obesity treatments, educating healthcare providers about obesity management and working to reduce stigma."

Eli Lilly, meanwhile, is active in other campaigns. The company recently announced the results of a survey that showed that the majority of people struggle to find public restrooms, and that this is a significant issue for people suffering from ulcerative colitis.³ The survey was part of the Urgent Conversations” campaign.

In a press release, Eli Lilly associate vice president of global and US medical affairs, immunology, and gastroenterology indication lead Richard E. Moses, DO, JD, said, “People living with UC not only experience a significant need for access to public restrooms, they may also be altering their daily routines in order to leave their homes, as demonstrated by these results. Acknowledging and shedding light on these life challenges motivates us at Lilly to support individuals experiencing bowel urgency-related emergencies and recognize the importance of urgency symptoms when developing advanced biologics."

"These results reinforce what I hear from my patients with UC. Instead of double-checking they've turned off the stove prior to leaving their homes, people with UC are mapping out the nearest restrooms and packing emergency toiletries," said Marla Dubinsky, M.D., chief, division of pediatric gastroenterology and nutrition, co-director, Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center, Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital, Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai New York. "Many are staying home to avoid the potential for a bowel-urgency related accident in public."

The president and CEO of the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, Michael Osso, added, “For people with UC, the minutes it takes to find a public restroom are consequential. This problem also extends to people who are not living with UC. In fact, 39% of the general population surveyed had experienced an accident as an adult and that number nearly doubled for respondents with UC. These results show that access to clean and readily available restrooms is not just a convenience, but a basic human need worth greater attention and advocacy."

Sources

1. OAC and Eli Lilly and Company Partner to Launch Bias-Free Obesity Image Gallery at HLTH 2024. Obesity Action Coalition. October 18, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/oac-and-eli-lilly-and-company-partner-to-launch-bias-free-obesity-image-gallery-at-hlth-2024-302280416.html
2. Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) Responds to New CDC Obesity Maps, Calls for Expanded Access to Care. Obesity Action Coalition. September 12, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/obesity-action-coalition-oac-responds-to-new-cdc-obesity-maps-calls-for-expanded-access-to-care-302247059.html
3. Survey Reveals 8 in 10 Americans With Ulcerative Colitis Struggle to Find a Public Restroom During Emergencies. Eli Lilly and Company. October 16, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2024. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-reveals-8-in-10-americans-with-ulcerative-colitis-struggle-to-find-a-public-restroom-during-emergencies-302276976.html