The Obesity Society is turning 40: A history of the early years

Abstract

The North American Association for the Study of Obesity (NAASO), the precursor of The Obesity Society (TOS), was founded in 1981 and turns 40 years old in 2021. The Society was organized by George Bray along with John Brunzell, C. Wayne Callaway, M.R.C. Greenwood, and Judith Stern. It held its foundational meeting with a theme of “Types of Obesity: Animal Models and Clinical Applications” at Vassar College in the fall of 1982 along with symposia and an NIH workshop titled “Methods of Characterizing Human Obesity.” At a follow-up meeting during the Fourth International Congress on Obesity, Barbara Hansen was elected President, Judith Stern Secretary, and Anne Sullivan Treasurer. Incorporation of NAASO occurred in 1984.