Free online course: Principles of Obesity Economics

Below is a description of a course being offered by Johns Hopkins, via www.coursera.com - you can sign up and attend via the internet for free. I thought some of the folks *****ad this forum might be interested. 

Direct Link:  https://www.coursera.org/course/obesityecon  
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Principles of Obesity Economics
Kevin Frick 

The resources available to individuals and society and the prices of goods in the market shape our choices - even about the food we eat and the weight at which we live. This course explores the economic motivation for consumer choice and the economic role of government in markets related to obesity.

Next Session: October 2012 (4 weeks)Workload: 3-5 hours per week

Economics & FinanceHealth and Society & Medical Ethics 

About the Course

Economics motivates consumer behavior based on preferences, relative prices, and time and money constraints.  Economics motivates the role for government based on market failure.

Obesity has been deemed a critical public health problem.  This course explores how consumer choices lead to individuals being different weights and discusses whether there is an economic rationale for government intervention in the markets most closely related to food and activity choices.  

Course Objectives 
-Define the concept of consumer sovereignty 
-Describe how consumers are thought to make choices based on a combination of preferences, relatively prices, and time and money constraints 
-Describe economic motivations for government action in markets 
-Consider arguments regarding the appropriateness of a government role in markets that are related to obesity in adults and children 

About the Instructor(s

)Dr. Frick received his PhD in Economics and Health Services Organization and Policy from the University of Michigan in 1996 and has been with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Department of Health Policy and Management since that time. In his research, he combines his knowledge of economic analysis with clinical and epidemiological insights from his colleagues to produce burden of disease and cost-effectiveness analyses that bring the tools of economic decision making to policy-makers. He has focused on community-based interventions such as the Experience Corps volunteer program for older adults, nursing interventions such as an intervention to increase breastfeeding duration among low-income women, and medical interventions such as surgery for dysfunctional uterine bleeding. His burden of disease studies have focused on eye care and obesity.  He has published numerous international cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness studies or framework papers on eye care and related to nursing. 

Recommended Background

An understanding of issues related to the health impacts of obesity or some basic microeconomics is helpful but not necessary. 

Suggested Readings

David Kessler’s book, The End of Overeating
Eric Finkelstein’s book, The Fattening of America
Economist Lens blog
Center for Human Nutrition Website
Obesity Economics on JHSPH

OpenCourseWare Course Format

This course provides only a brief introduction to health implications of obesity, the economic considerations that are relevant to consumers, and the economic motivations for government action in markets.  The topics of obesity and economics are both broad and complex and not all topics (e.g., supply side) or issues can be covered in the time allotted for this course. It will be taught by Kevin Frick and TA’s from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Healh. It is a condensed version of a 1-credit online course offered to graduate students at the Bloomberg School of Public Health. 

FAQ 
Who should take this course?
This course is intended for students with an interest in exploring issues of public health related to obesity in the United States through an economic lens and is meant to raise questions and generate healthy and civil discussion about the food intake and activity choices individuals make and the appropriate and economically motivated role for government in affecting these outcomes. Students will be expected to represent themselves honestly and respect the diverse ideas presented in the course by faculty and other students.

Thank you Jubjub.  This is really interesting!  I've already read some of their suggested reading, so maybe I'll sign up for the class.  BTW, I love your username.  Does it come from Jabberwocky?

Fiona

 JubJub is from the Simpsons :)  It was the name of Marge's sister's (not sure which one) pet iguana.

Oh that's too funny!  Thanks for enlightening me :-)

Have you watched any of the "Weight of the Nation" stuff on HBO? It goes into alot of what is being said here. It was heartbreaking and almost horrible to watch, but its stuff we all really need to know!

 We cut off all cable/satellite/etc. about a year ago - so I don't get HBO.  Hopefully some of their programs will make through to Hulu or Netflix or iTunes... On the good side our TV watching has dropped about 90%.

 Here you go! You can watch them online! 

http://theweightofthenation.hbo.com/films 

 Dang - "Weight of the Nation" is available on Youtube...

Part 1: Consequences -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pEkCbqN4uo 
Part 2: Choices -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLv0Vsegmoo&feature=relmfu 
Part 3: Children in Crisis -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T24B6T-hp0E&feature=relmfu 
Part 4: Challenges -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmcZRgWBdwQ&feature=relmfu 

Thanks tripmom02!

 HA HA, great minds think alike, I was posting the link above pretty much at the same time! 

Thanks for the info.