The American Obesity Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 by Richard L. Atkinson, M.D. and Judith S. Stern, Sc.D., R.D. Its goal is to educate and research obesity as a disease. It seeks to change public policy in order to reduce the obesity epidemic. According to the Wall Street Journal, this organization, formed in April 1995, is a "lay advocacy group representing the interest of the 70 to 80 million obese American women and children and adults afflicted with the disease of obesity.” It has one member. "Dr. Atkinson says the group receives most of its funding (several thousand USD) from the pharmaceuticals industry, including Interneuron, American Home Products, Roche Laboratories, Knoll Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and Servier, all of which market or develop diet pills." [1]
The Society's advocacy goals are:[2]