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The editors at Top Masters in Public Health decided to research the topic of: America's Battle With ObesityOne-third of children are overweight or obese and more than one-third of adults are obese in America. States are stepping in with legislation to counter the issue, but is America still headed for a plus-sized health crisis? Children and ObesityFour decades of rising obesity- 1974 5.0% - 1980 5.5% - 1994 10.0% - 2000 13.9% - 2002 15.4% - 2004 17.1% - 2006 15.5% - 2008 16.9% - 2010 14.94% The number of obese children has tripled since the 1970s. Today:- 14.94% of children and adolescents ages 2 to 19 are obese. - 31.7% are either obese or overweight. - 70% chance an overweight/obese adolescent will be overweight/obese as an adult. Adults and Obesity- 35.7% of adults are obese. - 2008 Medical costs associated with obesity: $147 billion. - That's $1,429 extra for each obese person. - In 2011, no state had an obesity rate lower than 20%. - Lowest rate: Colorado at 20.7%. - Highest rate: Mississippi at 34.9%. LawsIn 2011:- 12 states adopted child nutrition laws to improve school meals and help combat obesity in children. - California - Delaware - Florida - Georgia - Louisiana - Maine - Massachusetts - Mississippi - New Mexico - North Carolina - Pennsylvania - Virginia Diabetes Screening and Care- Regional screening program in Texas - Statewide screening program in Illinois - Student or medical professional care in: - Arkansas - Arizona - Florida - Illinois - Indiana - Nebraska - New Jersey - Tennessee - Texas - Rhode Island - Utah - West Virginia - Virginia Tax Incentives- California and D.C. enacted tax incentives to encourage a healthy lifestyle. - California: Tax credit to farmers who donate fresh produce. - D.C.: Establishment of a program to attract grocery stores to underserved areas. - Stores must accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and apply to accept Women, Infants, Children (WIC) benefits, and make healthy foods available. Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA)- Provides access to nutritional food for children. - 141 new grocery stores were built in "food deserts" to make healthy choices more accessible. - Provides access to increased physical activity for children. - 8,100 new physical activity opportunities for children were offered in 2012. - 2,951,191 kids got moving as a result. Battle Outcome- Studies show insignificant difference between weight in children who were exposed to junk food and those who were not, suggesting junk food laws would not prevent obesity. - Child obesity rates declined from 16.9% to 14.94% between 2008 and 2010. - If this trend continues, we will see a significant decrease in obesity rates by 2020. - Addressing the problem with children using initiatives like PHA is key to producing a generation of healthy adults. - By handling the issue now: - The projection that half of Americans will be obese by 2030 is: - Wrong! Sources- http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/childhood-obesity-2011.aspx - http://cdc.gov - http://ahealthieramerica.org/wp-content/themes/pha/images/files/assets/common/downloads/PHA%20FINAL%20022213.pdf - http://www.asanet.org/images/journals/docs/pdf/soe/Jan12SOEFeature.pdf |