COPE joins STOP Obesity Alliance

The MacDonald Center for Obesity Prevention and Education (COPE) based in the College of Nursing at Villanova University has recently been accepted as an Associate Member of the STOP Obesity Alliance, housed in The George Washington University School of Public Health.

“It is a great honor to be a part of the Alliance,” says COPE’s Director Erin Winterhalter, MPH, RD, LDN, CDE. The Alliance Steering Committee is comprised of national level organizations (for instance the American Heart Association, American Medical Group Association, The Obesity Society, and CDC) and is led by Scott Kahan, MD, MPH, director of the National Center for Weight and Wellness at GWU School of Public Health & Health Services.

The Alliance identifies and removes the public and private policy barriers that hinder prevention and management of overweight and obesity. The group takes action and makes recommendations to address obesity. “We will share research, join efforts on similar projects, and attend meetings with other associate members,” notes Winterhalter.