Tallahassee,FL – The Florida Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Chronic Disease Prevention has received funds from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a statewide planning grant to develop an obesity prevention program. The Bureau’s Cardiovascular Health Program and Diabetes Control Program will work closely with this grant to develop strategies and activities to combat obesity.
In October of 2001, the DOH released findings from “The Obesity Epidemic in Florida” report. The data details the major public health threat that obesity has become. Since 1986, when weight and height were first monitored in adults, the rate of obesity has nearly doubled. Today, nearly one of every five Florida adults is obese. The sharp increase of overweight and obesity observed in adults has also been seen in children, who have experienced a near doubling in the rate of obesity, as well. Currently in Florida, 38.3 percent of adults are overweight and an additional 18.5 percent are obese, representing increases of 17.5 percent and 94 percent since 1986. Among young adults between the ages of 18 to 29, the prevalence of obesity has increased by 110 percent. One-third of Americans are obese, and two-thirds are overweight. 25 percent of children are overweight. 40 million adults are 20 percent or greater than their ideal weight. Eating too much and not getting enough physical activity are the main causes of obesity. 24 percent of Americans are completely sedentary, 54 percent do not get enough exercise and only 20 percent of Americans get enough exercise to have a positive effect on health and weight. Since 1977, men have increased the number of calories consumed by over 200 a day. In the same time period, women have increased their calorie intake by over 110 each day. In general, calorie intake has increased by 6 percent since 1979. This translates into a weight gain of 22.5 pounds a year for men, and almost 12 pounds a year for women, if those extra calories were stored as fat. Obesity has increased 55 percent since 1980. Morbid obesity is a term applied to people who are 60 percent above their ideal weight and at least 100 pounds overweight. Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or more or a person who is 20 percent or greater than his ideal weight.
Overweight is defined as a body mass index of 25 or more. Weight reduction is advised for a body mass index 27 or greater. If you carry fat mainly around your waist, you are more likely to develop obesity-related health problems. Women with a waist measurement of more than 35 inches, or men with a waist measurement of more than 40 inches have a higher health risk because of their fat distribution. Each fat cell can balloon to more than 10 times its original size, but if the available cells get filled to the brim, new ones will form. As the body stores more fat, weight and girth increase. At any time, 45 percent of women and 25 percent of men are trying to lose weight. Americans spend $30 to $40 billion annually trying to lose weight. In 1996, Americans spent $467 million on prescription diet pills and another $32 million on over-the-counter diet pills. Medical costs associated with obesity exceed $100 billion per year. Obesity results in 300,000 premature deaths in the U.S. annually, second only to smoking.
Obesity triples the risk for asthma and increases the risk of diabetes, gallstones, arthritis, asthma, kidney failure, stroke, heart attacks, and some cancers. In overweight young adults ages 20 to 45, the prevalence of hypertension is 6 times that of normal-weight people. Dying from a heart attack is 3.5 more likely for someone who is obese. Diabetes is up to 26 times more likely in people who are obese. Musculoskeletal problems, such as low back pain and arthritis, are common among the obese. Sleep apnea and depression have been linked to being overweight. Increased stomach pressure from abdominal fat results in a high rate of gastro-intestinal reflux. Urinary incontinence may result from a large, heavy abdomen weakening the urinary bladder valve. Overweight men have a significantly higher mortality rate for colorectal and prostate cancers, compared to men of average weight. Obesity may be responsible for female hormone abnormalities resulting in infertility, ovarian cysts and irregular menstrual periods. Menopausal women with upper body fat localization have an increased risk of developing breast cancer. Overweight women also have higher rates of cancer of the uterus and ovaries. The treatment for obesity depends on the level of obesity, a person’s overall health condition, and the motivation to lose weight. A combination of diet, exercise, behavior modification and, sometimes, weight-loss drugs may be used. In cases of severe obesity, gastrointestinal surgery may be performed. Remember, weight control is a life-long effort. For more information about overweight and obesity, visit the Department of Health website at www.doh.state.fl.us.
