Cancer Prevention and the Hidden Risk of Obesity: VIVUS, Inc. (VVUS), Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARNA)

It’s all about education, isn’t it? We have to start with our very youngest children, teaching them what is a healthful diet. It’s not a bag of chips at every meal. It’s not a can of soda at every meal. If children don’t have the tools, the strategies, how can we expect them to eat healthfully?

Often times, what children learn in school in terms of vegetables and a plant-based diet, they will take home and they will be the teachers for their parents and caregivers. Isn’t that a wonderful thing?

I really feel education is the key here. I know the First Lady has made great strides in helping to get people moving, especially children, and help them to eat healthfully. I think we need more partnership from industry and a lot of the stakeholders here. We all need to work hard around this.

Macaluso: Once again, focused more on prevention than treatments.

Cuomo: Prevention is so important. Prevention is much more cost effective. In 2010, we spent $125 billion on cancer care. That’s 5% of all health care expenditure and 10% of all Medicare expenditure. It’s unsustainable.

At this point in time, we spend 18% of our gross domestic product on health care itself. We all agree it’s unsustainable. How are we going to change it? This is one way; by focusing on prevention.

To watch the full interview with Dr. Margaret I. Cuomo, click here.

The article Cancer Prevention and the Hidden Risk of Obesity originally appeared on Fool.com.

Max Macaluso, Ph.D. and Margaret I. Cuomo have no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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