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Overweight
and Obesity
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Reduce
the percent of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese.
Target
and Baseline , 1999: Children seen in health department clinics
and WIC programs – specific age
Baseline,
1999:
Age > 95th percentile Target
2-4 years 11.8 10 percent
5-11 years 16.7 10 percent
12-18 years 20.3 10 percent
Target
Setting Method: Better than the best.
Reduce
the proportion of adults who are obese.
Target:
16.8 percent.
Baseline, 1995-1999: 19.8 percent of persons ages 18
and older were identified as obese (BMI > 25 percent).
Target Setting Method: 15 percent improvement.
Increase
the proportion of adults who are at a healthy weight.
Developmental
Objective, baseline data to be collected in 2001.
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Chronic
Disease - Overweight and Obesity
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Obesity
is medical condition characterized by storage of excess body fat.
A measure of body mass index (BMI) is often used to determine desirable
weights. BMI is calculated metrically as weight divided by height
squared (kg/m2). People with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight
and people with a BMI of 30 or above are considered obese. Elevated
cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and Type II Diabetes are
associated with overweight and obesity and are independent risk factors
for coronary heart disease. Being overweight or obese also increases
the risk for gall bladder disease, sleep apnea, respiratory problems,
some types of cancer, and have been implicated in the development
of osteoarthritis. Obese individuals may also experience psychological
stress although this is highly dependent on their culture. Overweight
and obesity are multifactorial in origin reflecting inherited, metabolic,
behavioral, environmental, cultural, psychosocial, and socioeconomic
conditions. Lifestyle behaviors, diet, and physical activity are major
contributors to the obesity epidemic in the United States.
Dietary behaviors are also independent
risk factors for chronic disease. There is strong evidence that
high intake of fruits and vegetables are associated with a decreased
risk of cancer. Excessive fat intake increases the risk of developing
some types of cancer and is a major contributor to cardiovascular
disease.
Children
Patterns of healthy eating behavior need
to begin in childhood. There is much concern about the increasing
prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents. In North Carolina
in 1999, data on children seen in local health department sponsored
clinics indicate that approximately 11.8 percent of 2-4 year-olds
were at or above the 95th percentile weight-for-height. Using the
BMI measure, 16.7 percent of 5-11 year-olds and 20.3 percent of
12-18 year-olds were at or above the 95th percentile for gender
and age.
In recent years there has been an alarming
increase in the number of children with elevated cholesterol and
blood pressure levels and adolescents with hyperinsulinimia and
Type II diabetes secondary to obesity. The Cardiovascular Health
in Children (CHIC) study conducted in North Carolina reported that
12.6 percent of elementary school children had high cholesterol
(>200mg/dl) and 12 percent had hypertension (blood pressures
exceeding the 95th percentile). Children and adolescents with early
onset of risk factors for chronic disease are likely to develop
complications of those diseases at a younger age than past generations
Adults
There has been an alarming increase in
the number of overweight and obese persons during the last decade.
Approximately 56 percent of North Carolinians are overweight. Approximately
25 percent of adult females and 20 percent of adult males in the
United States are obese.
Good nutrition and dietary habits need
to begin in childhood and be practiced throughout adulthood. In
the United States in 1995, the total costs (medical costs and lost
productivity) attributable to obesity alone amounted to an estimated
$99 billion. The potential benefits from reduction in the prevalence
of overweight and obesity are of considerable public health importance
and deserve particular emphasis and attention.
Older
Adults
Only 36 percent of adults 60 years and
older reported a healthy weight between 1988-1994. This included
only 34 percent African-American men and only 29 percent of African-American
women. Overall only 24 percent of all respondents age 60 or older
reported being obese, however 38 percent of African-American women
reported being obese.
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Disparities
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Overweight and obesity are observed in all
population groups, but obesity is particularly common among Hispanics/Latinos,
African American/Blacks and American Indians, especially females of
these groups. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increases with
advancing age in both males and females. Some segments of the population
are at higher risk for under-nutrition, such as the socially isolated,
persons with disabilities (physical, mental, developmental) living
in community settings, persons who are homeless, and the very old
who live independently. |
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Determinants/Risk
Factors
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Overweight and Obesity
Advancing age, inactivity or no physical
activity, sedentary lifestyles, and certain lifestyles (e.g., eating
away from home, eating fast foods, and eating foods high in fats,
sugars, and salt)
Under-Nutrition
Socially isolated persons, persons with
disabilities (physical, mental, developmental) living in community
settings, homeless persons, and elderly who live independently
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Chronic
Disease - Overweight and Obesity |
