Obesity on the Rise in Every State in the US< May 21, 2002 > Win some, lose some, says a new state-by-state survey of America's health, but the battle against obesity is being lost in every corner of the nation. The survey, done over the past decade by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), finds ups and downs in five health risk factors and use of six preventive services. On the plus side, more Americans are buckling up, getting vaccinated and being screened for cancer and heart disease. On the other hand, the rate of smoking rose in 14 states and was unchanged in 32, mostly in the Midwest and South. Binge drinking rose in 19 states and declined in only three. The most striking fact was that "obesity increased in every state" between 1991 and 2000, says the survey, which appeared a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). "There's no question that it's a mess," says Dr. David E. Nelson, the epidemiologist who led the survey. "For obesity, every state got worse." Otherwise, it is a "good news, bad news" story, says Nelson, who is now with the National Cancer Institute. "The good news is that safety belt use, mammography and adult immunizations all increased. That is really encouraging. The bad news includes an increase in binge alcohol use and a lack of decline in smoking in many states, and that widespread epidemic of obesity." It is hard to make generalizations about a survey covering so many facts about all the states, Nelson says. Some states did better than others. For example, New York, Maryland, Delaware, and Kentucky seem to have done the best, with improvements in eight of the 11 subjects covered. Alaska did the worst, showing no improvement in any category. The results come from annual telephone surveys of randomly chosen adults. The five health risk factors included:
The six preventive services include:
The idea is that the information will help guide preventive health measures in each state, showing which programs are working and which are falling short, Nelson says: "Each of the states has things that need to be looked at." However, the CDC study is just the latest indicator that "obesity is clearly emerging as the leading public health issue of the 21st century," says Morgan Downey, executive director of the American Obesity Association. "We don't think that enough has been invested in the problem," Downey says. "We're looking at strategies other than just telling people to eat better and exercise more. These are starting to emerge now. For example, there is more pressure on schools to start looking at vending machines and the like. We're hoping that major health-care organizations such as Medicare, Medicaid and health management organizations will get involved." Trends in two other risk factors are described as "discouraging" in the CDC report. Binge drinking increased in 19 states, and nearly a third of all states reported an increase in smoking. Only one state, Minnesota, saw a significant drop in the smoking rate. However, safety belt use increased in 39 states. For the clinical preventive measures, 43 states showed an increased use of mammography, 44 an increase in flu vaccination, and 48 an increase in pneumonia vaccination. There were smaller increases in screening for colorectal and cervical cancer and for cholesterol levels. While colorectal cancer screening did increase in a quarter of the states, "there's a long way to go," Nelson says. "After all, that's the second leading cause of cancer deaths." The survey shows it is much easier to deliver preventive services than to change behavior, Dr. J. Michael McGinnis of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation writes in an accompanying editorial. "Achieving the best outcome, and achieving it for all, will require stronger public health and stronger partnerships than currently exist. The health of the American people—in the parts and in the whole—depends on it." Always consult your physician for more information. Online Resources:(Our Organization is not responsible for the content of Internet sites.) Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) |
For more information about obesity, please visit _______________. Alarming Rates of Obesity Threatens Elderly HealthWhile advances in medical care are greatly improving the lives of people over 50, rising health costs and increasing obesity threatens to eliminate many of the gains. "There are alarmingly high rates of obesity and growing numbers of uninsured people in the middle- and high-income groups," says Susan Raetzman, associate director of the Public Policy Institute for the AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons. "Health costs are rising at twice the rate of inflation, and consumers have lower levels of confidence in the future of their insured coverage and affordability of care." The second annual report examines "health security" among older people and senior citizens. Over the past 20 years, more older people are getting vaccinations and screening tests and far fewer smoke, the report says. The rate of smoking has declined by 36 percent among men over 50 over the past two decades, and by 23 percent among women. Even so, 25 percent of those aged 50 to 64 reported smoking in a 1998 survey. Men are more likely than women to smoke. With the exception of those older than 85, Americans 50 and older are more likely than in the past to consider themselves to be in excellent or very good health. Hospital visits are less common, and there are a growing number of alternatives to nursing home care, the 19-page report adds. "On several fronts, older Americans can be optimistic about the future," the report says. On the other hand, most older people suffer from at least one chronic condition. One in 20 people between 50 and 64 years old suffers from a combination of chronic disease and disability that limits their normal daily functioning. That number grows to 44 percent for people aged 85 and older. The AARP report included some of its most stringent warnings for the threat posed by obesity among the elderly. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 26.7 percent of people aged 50 to 64 were obese in 1999, compared to just 14.4 percent in 1982. The obesity rate declines with age. Even so, 8.3 percent of those 85 and older were too overweight in 1999, compared to 4.1 percent in 1982. Hectic schedules without time for exercise and extensive use of television and computers could be to blame, the report suggests. Always consult your physician for more information. |