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Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine to Open Atkins Obesity Center

  • April 1, 2005
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April 7, 2005, ST. LOUIS - In an effort to reduce obesity and its medical complications, Barnes-Jewish Hospital will open the Veronica and Robert C. Atkins Center for Excellence in Obesity Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, thanks to a $5 million grant from the Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation.

The first center in the country funded by the Atkins Foundation, its goal is to facilitate research, provide clinical and research training, support patient care and create community outreach programs focusing on obesity.

An announcement will be made at Barnes-Jewish''s Queeny Tower, Tuesday, April 12 at 2 p.m. with a gift presentation from Veronica Atkins to the Atkins Center''s director, Samuel Klein, MD.  Dr. Klein is also the William H. Danforth Professor of Medicine and Nutritional Science, chief of the Division of Geriatrics and Nutritional Science and director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University School of Medicine.

"This center honors Dr. Atkins and his wife Veronica who devoted themselves to treating obesity and its medical complications," says Dr. Klein. "The center will provide support for the infrastructure needed to translate research findings from the laboratory to patient care and to the community."  The Atkins Center will focus on both prevention and the treatment of obesity, and understanding why it causes so many medical diseases, according to Dr. Klein.

"Obesity is a major public health problem in the United States, and is responsible for more than 300,000 deaths and $100 billion in health-care costs each year," says Dr. Klein.  "This center will create new clinical, research and training initiatives in obesity that will advance the entire field, as well as serve the St. Louis community."

Ronald G. Evens, MD, Barnes-Jewish Hospital president, says the gift from the Atkins Foundation is an important one to St. Louis, once listed as one of "America''s Fattest Cities" by Men''s Fitness. "I am extremely grateful for Mrs. Atkins'' generosity in establishing this center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and am excited about what it means to Dr. Klein''s work with obesity," says Dr. Evens.  "Obesity plays a big part in the prevalence of heart disease, cancer and diabetes, and treating this problem head-on saves lives in the long run."

The grant''s community outreach component is essential, because of the need to improve the health of people living in the St. Louis area, according to Dr. Klein.  "It is particularly important to target childhood obesity because obese children often become obese adults," he says.  "We hope to take advantage of existing community resources to address the problem of obesity in children."

For example, the grant will help support a one-year lifestyle intervention program involving experts from BJC HealthCare, Washington University School of Medicine, the Charles Kilo Foundation and the YMCA.  Targeting both parents and their children, the program emphasizes the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise.

The Atkins Center will be unique according to Dr. Klein.  "This is the first center in the country forging a partnership of research, clinical care and community outreach in a major medical center," says Dr. Klein.

Larry Shapiro, MD, executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of the School of Medicine, says the center will strengthen the position of Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital as a major center for nutrition and obesity research and treatment. "The important work that will be conducted here will be key in effectively addressing the growing problem of obesity that is robbing good health from millions of Americans," he says.

Atkins was a cardiologist with an innovative perspective on nutrition and health. His 1972 book, Dr. Atkins'' Diet Revolution, gave diet advice contrary to the recommendations of most nutritional experts at the time.  The Atkins'' diet has become increasingly popular since the 1992 publication of Dr. Atkins'' New Diet Revolution. Atkins died in April 2003 after sustaining injuries in a fall.

"The opening of the Atkins Center is a tribute to my husband''s legacy as a visionary, particularly in battling the obesity epidemic in this country. I am thrilled that his passion for making a difference in patients'' lives coupled with his pursuit of sound scientific study will be realized here. On behalf of the Foundation, I am deeply honored to carry out this goal to which Bobby devoted his life," says Veronica Atkins, wife of the late Dr. and chair of the Atkins Foundation board of directors.

The Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation seeks to positively impact disease prevention and health management worldwide by supporting nutritional research and educational programs. Established with a $40 million endowment in August 2003, the Foundation provides grants to support scientific, evidence-based and clinical research that examines the role of metabolic and nutrition protocols in obesity, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer''s Disease and other major health issues confronting our society today. Among the grants awarded to date, the Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation has funded research at prestigious and respected national institutions in addition to planning grants to public health organizations and endowed chair positions at universities. The Dr. Robert C. Atkins Foundation is governed by a board of directors under the stewardship of National Philanthropic Trust, an independent public charity that manages more than $500 million in charitable assets and has disbursed more than $365 million in grants to charities around the globe.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital, a 1,390-bed nonprofit academic hospital, is the largest hospital in Missouri and is consistently ranked among the Honor Roll of America''s best hospitals by U.S.News & World Report. The adult teaching hospital of Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes-Jewish has a 1,784 member medical staff with many who are listed in America''s Top Doctors. Barnes-Jewish Hospital was the first adult hospital in Missouri to be certified as a Magnet Hospital for its nursing excellence. Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a member of BJC HealthCare, one of the largest nonprofit health-care organizations in the United States.

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