“State of the Art of Obesity Research in the Philippines: 1981-2011” now in print Rodolfo F. Florentino, MD, PhD Vice-President, PASOO Chairman-President, Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines President, Osteoporosis Society of the Philippines Background Recognizing the value of country-specific research for national policy and program formulation, PASOO recently undertook an exhaustive review of all researches conducted among Filipinos on overweight and obesity between 1981 and 2011. Dr. Elizabeth Paz-Pacheco, the brains behind the project, recently led a large group scientists, researchers and Endocrinology fellows, in this extensive undertaking. This review has now been compiled and printed in a monograph, “State of the Art of Obesity Research in the Philippines: 1981-2011” with the support of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD). The primary aim of the review is to create a national registry for obesity researches conducted among Filipinos in the Philippines and internationally, and provide a framework for recommendations for research agenda setting for future obesity research, intervention programs, and ultimately policy making. The monograph is intended for researchers, health practitioners, and all those who are concerned in one way or another in the control, management and treatment of obesity. The Process To come up with the monograph, an extensive and comprehensive search for available data on obesity between 1981 and 2011 was painstakingly done by some thirty members of the research team. Educational institutions, hospitals, professional organizations, libraries, and government and private institutions were identified and contacted through mail. Published local and international journals, as well as unpublished researches and theses, were retrieved, and the authors were contacted when necessary. After 8 months of searching and collecting information, a total of 217 articles were retrieved, analyzed and summarized, resulting in eight scientific papers dealing with prevalence, risk factors, screening methodologies, treatment options, and complications of obesity in both adults and children. The papers now form the eight chapters of the monograph. After a careful review of all existing obesity researches among Filipinos in the Philippines and overseas, the senior members of the team agreed during a final forum on a list of areas considered priority for further scientific investigation, forming the final chapter of the monograph. Next Steps... In the future, PASOO hopes to continue expanding the registry as a continuing project of the association. Authors of scientific papers, treatises and researches dealing with overweight and obesity among Filipinos are invited to submit these to PASOO for addition to the data base. The monograph is now available free at the PASOO Office in Medical Plaza Ortigas to members of PASOO and related organizations, libraries, and teaching and research institutions.