Frist: Coaching can reverse obesity epidemic

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says coaching from doctors can help reverse the obesity epidemic in America.

Frist, a surgeon, is the honorary vice chair of the Partnership for a Healthy America, which held a roundtable discussion on childhood obesity in Nashville on Friday.

The Tennessean reports that Frist said doctors may not be prepared to coach patients on weight loss, but they are a trusted source of information, so they can pair patients with coaches to work on behaviors that lead to obesity.

Frist said there has been some flattening of obesity rates and he thinks the problem can be reversed.

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