Center for Health Transformation Georgia Project

Majority of Americans Still Either Overweight or Obese but More Americans are Now Normal Weight than Overweight

According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, a daily assessment of U.S. residents' health and well-being, the percentage of Americans who are at a normal weight is higher than those who are overweight — that's not counting those who are recognized as obese.  The study divides participants into three groups: those at a normal weight, those overweight and those who are obese and follows the trends. 

The latest index report shows that 36.6 percent of Americans are at a normal weight, 35.8 percent are overweight and 25.8 percent are categorized as obese.  The overweight and normal weight trend lines have tracked closely together since Gallup and Healthways started daily monitoring of Americans' weight situation in January 2008. The recent slight decline in the nation's obesity rate is a positive contrast to the rising levels found in 2009 and throughout most of 2010.

Black Americans, the middle-aged, and those with low incomes remain the most likely to be obese across major demographic subgroups in all three quarters of 2011.  Although the majority of Americans are still overweight or obese (61.6%), it is an encouraging sign that obesity rates are trending downward in the U.S. and among demographic subgroups. Future monitoring, however, is needed to determine whether this is a temporary trend.

Schoolyard Gardens – What a Great Idea!

An article at StarTribune.com discusses the impact of a schoolyard garden in Columbia Heights, MN.  The garden is one of 30 or so new school gardens that have been created in Minnesota during the past year - double the number of such plots that existed previously.  The new gardens are a result of the $47 million State Health Improvement Program [SHIP] that offers grant money to school districts and other community organizations to fight chronic disease, encourage exercise, promote healthy eating and discourage tobacco use.  

SHIP was signed into law by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in 2008.  The program allows local citizens to choose their own route toward a healthier community. Columbia Heights chose to build a garden classroom. About $20,000 or so of the $63,000 SHIP grant has already been used to buy the plants and install the infrastructure; the remainder will mostly be used to train classroom teachers on how to incorporate the garden into their lesson plans.  

What a great start to the school year.  This is an excellent way to get children physically active, learning about healthy foods, and engaged in their community.  Congratulations to Columbia Heights!

CDC Report - Obesity Prevalence Continues to Increase

According to a CDC Vital Signs report, the number of states with an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more has tripled in two years to nine states in 2009. Obesity is defined as a body mass index [BMI] greater than 30.  These nine states are: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia.  In 2000, no state had an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more. The report, "State-Specific Obesity Prevalence Among Adults – United States, 2009," also finds no state met the nation's Healthy People 2010 goal to lower obesity prevalence to 15 percent.  Colorado had the lowest obesity rat at 18.6%.

Do We Value Health?

As I've been working with some colleagues on a healthy communinity initiative we've been talking a lot about the state of the health of Americans.  With the statistics on obesity in this country, the lack of physical activity in our schools, the lack of healthy eating habits, and the resistance to change to a unhealthy behaviors, I don't think that the majority of Americans do value health.  There is a focus on health care  right now, but very little focus on health. 

Health requires that the individual take control and make the right choices.  Health is not always easy.  Health requires we change our behavior.  That we say 'no' to our children.  That we say 'no' to ourselves.  Let's spend a little less time finding ways for the government to take care of us and find ways to take care of ourselves.  Get the family to take a walk tonight after dinner; limit computer time; take the dog for a walk - make one change to make you and your family more active.  Find healthier ways to prepare your meals - use olive oil, switch to whole grain bread, add fresh vegetables [find your local farmer's market].  Make health a focus in your life.  Help your children form those habits that will bring them a lifetime of health; not those habits that will continue them on the unhealthy path the majority of Americans are on.

Food Revolution

I was just introduced to a new TV show - ' Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.'  For an eye-opening look into food and our children check out this series.  Jamie is a chef from Essex who believes that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. He is starting a movement to get Americans to stand up for better food!

In one part of the series Jamie talked with a group of 5-year olds and quizzed them on identifying different foods.  He picked up a raw potato and asked if anyone knew what it was.  Not one child knew.  Then he held up a red, ripe tomato and again, not one child could identify it.  The same with cauliflower and other fresh vegetables.  Then he held up pizza - identified!  The same with french fries, chicken nuggets, hamburgers. It reflects the foods many of our children are exposed to and which ones they are not. 

I'm looking forward to seeing the series unfold and observing transformation in progress.  This series will provide some great lessons on changing health behaviors.  From the school system, to the individual school, to the homes, the parents and the children it will be an amazing journey.  Check it out on Friday evenings, 9 pm EST on ABC.

Abnormal Lipids in Young People

A report released by the CDC in January of this year reports that twenty percent of young people aged 12-19 years in the U.S. have at least one abnormal lipid level.  Abnormal lipid levels are major risk factors for heart disease, the leading cause of death among adults in the U.S.

The report examined data for 1999–2006 from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).  The survey is an ongoing study that explores the health and nutritional status of about 6000 participants each year.   The researchers analyzed measurements of the major types of fat that circulate in the body: LDL or low-density lipoprotein [“bad” cholesterol]; HDL or high density lipoprotein [“good” cholesterol]; and triglycerides, a type of fat that provides your body with energy.

The researchers found that young people who were overweight or obese were more likely to have one or more abnormal lipid levels compared to normal weight youth. One or more abnormal lipid levels were found in fourteen percent of normal weight youth, 22 percent of overweight youth, and 43 percent of obese youth.

This is yet another report supporting the need to improve the health of our children. 

Obesity is Now as Big a Threat to Health as Smoking

A study reported last week in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine concluded that America's obesity epidemic has become as big a threat to our health as smoking.  Researchers from Columbia University and the City College of New York reported that their calculation of health loss from obesity [measured in Quality-Adjusted Health Years] is now equal to, if not greater than, those lost from smoking.  Smoking was found to have a bigger impact on death while obesity has a bigger impact on illness.  The findings are based on a national health survey of 3.5 million U.S. adults.

This study reinforces our need to focus on the solutions to decreasing the obesity epidemic in America.  The cost of obesity in quality of life, productivity, and dollars is something that we can change.  We will continue to highlight successful solutions to the obesity epidemic. 

As a follow up to the Microsoft HealthVault project "Be Well Columbus, Georgia" a video has been posted on the Microsoft HealthVault website highlighting the project.  Columbus, Georgia joins other health stories on the Microsoft website that embody Microsoft's vision to improve health around the world through software innovation.  Congratulations to the Columbus Research Foundation for leading this effort and getting Georgia 'on the map!'

State Obesity Rankings Available and the News Isn't Good

The latest state obesity rankings are available in a report released today by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.  Georgia's adult obesity rate is 27.9% with a state ranking of 14.  The rate of obese and overweight children in Georgia is 37.3% with a state ranking of 3.

The percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.  Mississippi had the highest rate of obese and overweight children at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent.

Recommendations from the report, F as in Fat:  How Obesity Policies are Failing America 2009, include providing health foods and beverages to students at school; increasing the availability of affordable healthy foods in all communities; and increasing the frequency, intensity and duration of physical activity at school.

We would like to hear about community projects that are successfully addressing obesity.  What are the characteristics of healthy communities?  How do we change the current culture to one of health?

The Recession and Weight Gain

There is discussion recently on the effect of the recession on our health - Newsweek recently reported on new data released exclusively to them from Gallup-Healthways showing that in the past year, the number of Americans considered obese has jumped by 1.7 percent—or almost 5.5 million people.  There is speculation that the increased stress from the recession and the added burden of the cost of fresh fruits and vegetables are leading to weight gain.

Activity and exercise are definitely healthy ways to cope with stress.  Share your ideas on healthy ways to manage stress in a down economy.  Share your experience with summer gardens and other solutions to getting fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet.