Transcript Cooperative Extension Service Presentation

 Worldwide:
 WHO estimates more than 1 billion people are
overweight – BMI 25-29
 300 million of those people meet the criteria for
obesity – BMI of 30 or greater
 There are over 72 million obese adults in the U.S.
 Childhood obesity affects approximately 12.5 million
children and teens in the U.S.
 In every state, more than 15% of the adults are
obese
 In 9 states (including Alabama) more than 30%
of adults are obese
 No state has an obesity rate of less than 15%
which was the national goal for 2010
 Higher medical costs
 One study estimated approximately 9%
of all medical costs in 2008 were obesity
related and amounted to $147 billion,
compared with $78.5 billion 10 years
before
 Lower quality of life
 Contributes to many health problems
that are the leading causes of death
in the U.S.
 Heart disease
 Stroke
 Diabetes mellitus
 Some types of cancer
 Sleep apnea / breathing problems
 Limited physical activity
Non-Hispanic black women and Hispanic women have the
highest rates of obesity
41.9% and 30.7%, respectively
1. Obesity affects fertility throughout a woman’s
reproductive life – Obese women are 3 times more
likely as women of normal weight to be infertile
2. Obesity during pregnancy is related to overall
higher health care expenditures and contributes to
many pregnancy complications including Pregnancy
Induced Hypertension; preeclampsia, gestational
diabetes mellitus, cesarean section and neonatal
death
3. Rates of fetal anomalies are increased in obese
mothers including Neural Tube Defects,
Spina bifida, cardiovascular anomalies, cleft lip
and palate
4. Strong link to gynecological cancers, particularly
endometrial/uterine cancer and cervical
cancer; and well established link between obesity
and postmenopausal breast cancer
 Weight gain occurs when people eat too
much food and get less physical activity
 Societal and community changes have
accompanied the rise in obesity
 Some Americans have less access to stores
providing healthy, affordable food such as fruits
and vegetables, especially in rural, minority and
low-income neighborhoods
 Restaurants, snack shops, and vending machines
provide foods that are higher in calories than
home cooked foods
 There is too much sugar in our diet – 6 out of 10
adults drink at least one sugary drink per day
 It is often easier and cheaper to get less healthy
foods and beverages
 Foods high in sugar, fat and salt are highly
advertised and marketed
 Alabama is among our nation’s top consumer of
soft drinks – 77 gallons per person each year
 Residents also consume $649 per person in
fast food annually
Reference: 10 States With The Deadliest Eating Habits
by Charles B. Stockdale
**Many communities are built in ways that make it
difficult or unsafe to be physically active:
 Access to parks and recreation centers may be difficult or
lacking, and public transportation may not be available
 Safe routes for walking and biking to school, work or play
may not exist
 Too few students get quality, daily physical education in
school
 The term “Diabetes Belt” was coined when researchers
mapped higher than average occurrences of diabetes
mellitus in an area encircling much of the Southeast
 Almost all of Alabama’s 67 counties are included
• 11% or more of a county’s residents have to be diagnosed with
diabetes mellitus to be included in the “Diabetes Belt”
**In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
reported that 11.6 % of Montgomery County’s
residents have diabetes mellitus; the national
median is 8.1%
 Only 2 Alabama counties were omitted from the
“Diabetes Belt” – Baldwin and Shelby
1) The population of the Diabetes Belt counties contained
substantially more African Americans compared to the
rest of the country – 23.8 % for diabetes belt, vs 8.6 %
nationally
2) The prevalence of obesity was greater in the diabetes belt
than in the rest of the nation
3) A sedentary lifestyle was greater in the diabetes belt
4) The proportion of people with a college education was smaller
 Our first lady recently launched the “Let’s
Move!” program, which seeks to eliminate
childhood obesity within the generation
 It’s main points of action are; providing healthy
foods in schools, increasing physical activity
and improving access to healthy, affordable
foods
 Expand programs that bring local fruits and
vegetables to schools, businesses and
communities
 Support hospital programs that encourage
breastfeeding
 Adopt policies that promote bicycling and
public transportation
 Provide supermarkets and farmers markets
with incentives to establish their businesses
in low income areas and to offer healthy foods
Eat more fruits and vegetables and fewer foods
high in fat and sugar
 Drink more water instead of sugary drinks
 Limit TV watching in kids to less than 2 hours a day
 Support breast feeding
 Promote policies and programs at school, at work
and in the community that make healthy choice the
easy choice
 Get moving! – 10 minutes brisk walk, 3 times a day,
5 days a week
 State Obesity Task force – has developed a
strategic plan for the prevention and
control of overweight and obesity in
Alabama
 BITE – Community Grant – 5 Alabama
communities received funds to stimulate
community-based physical activity and
nutrition programs to reduce risk of
overweight and obesity
 Scale Back Alabama – Statewide campaign held at
the beginning of each year to encourage Alabamians to
get healthier by losing weight and exercising
1. Obesity is a complex issue that requires
action on many levels
2. A cultural shift in the way we think
about food: convenience culture vs
eating for good health