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NASHVILLE - Tennessee's health commissioner says obesity is a relapsing disease that should be fought like a drug addiction.

According to The Tennessean, Dr. John Dreyzehner spoke at a joint health summit in Nashville on Tuesday and said businesses need to step up for the benefit of their employees. Dreyzehner noted that most of those attending the meeting were representatives of health organizations.

Representatives of Advance Financial, Eastman Chemical, Clayton Homes, Ingram Industries and Alcoa Inc. attended, but the health chief said the business community overall hasn't come to the table in a meaningful way.

Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, who has spearheaded walking and biking initiatives in his city, also spoke, saying workplaces are critical in shaping how employees live, eat and exercise.