Changing the Narrative on Obesity

March 1, 2026 · Baton Rouge, LA

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How Pennington Biomedical is advancing research—and how you can be part of the solution this World Obesity Day

On March 4, 2026, thousands of institutions, organizations, medical professionals, and regular, everyday individuals will raise their voices with a shared goal: changing the narrative around obesity. 

A call to action for healthcare professionals and concerned citizens alike, World Obesity Day aims to dismantle the culture of shame that has prevented meaningful progress from being made toward improving health outcomes for the more than one billion people living with this disease globally. 

As a world leader in the fight against obesity since its founding in 1988, LSU‘s Pennington Biomedical Research Center is participating in the World Obesity Day campaign, helping to raise awareness around the reality that obesity is a condition too complex and destructive to be chalked up to a failure of willpower. Today, obesity is accurately understood as a chronic illness shaped by an intricate web of genetic, socioeconomic, psychological, environmental, and biological factors that influence how the body regulates weight over time.

Stigmas around obesity have acted as barriers preventing fuller understanding of its causes—and, importantly, the development of effective strategies for treatment and prevention. The result: today, more than 40 percent of the United States population lives with obesity, and more than 300,000 Americans die from obesity-related causes—including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers—every year. 

It doesn’t have to be this way. Researchers at Pennington Biomedical are leading efforts to combat the epidemic, and developing strategies with potential to improve health outcomes for thousands in Louisiana and beyond. 

Dr. Christopher Morrison is Associate Executive Director of Basic Science at Pennington Biomedical, where he and his fellow scientists study how the precursors for obesity operate at a cellular level. 

“At the most fundamental level, obesity is rooted in biology,” explains Dr. Morrison. “Our basic science researchers are working to understand how the brain, hormones, metabolism, and genetics regulate body weight, and how those systems can become disrupted. By uncovering these underlying mechanisms, we’re building the foundation for more effective and compassionate approaches to preventing and treating obesity.”

Information gleaned from this research then helps Pennington Biomedical develop human-level clinical trials—essential tools in developing breakthroughs in the battle against obesity.

“Our scientists do incredible work uncovering how obesity develops at a biological level,” said Dr. Jennifer Rood, Interim Senior Vice Chancellor and Executive Director at Pennington Biomedical. “Through clinical studies and population research, we build on those discoveries and apply them in ways that support individuals, families, and communities in everyday life.”

Help Find a Cure: Volunteer for a Clinical Trial

Pennington Biomedical’s research work depends on volunteers. Clinical trials are the bridge between scientific discovery and real-world treatments, and every participant helps move the field forward. 

This World Obesity Day, you can be part of the solution. By joining a clinical trial at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, you’ll not only gain access to cutting-edge research and expert care, you’ll also be helping scientists to develop better treatments for people in your family, community, and beyond. 

Explore current studies and find one that’s right for you at www.pbrc.edu/clinicaltrials.

Article originally appeared in Country Roads.