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F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future

F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future. Jeffrey Levi, PhD Executive Director Congressional Briefing January 26, 2011. Overview. The increasing rates of obesity and persisting disparities represent a significant threat to the nation’s health

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F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future

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  1. F as in Fat: How Obesity ThreatensAmerica’s Future Jeffrey Levi, PhD Executive Director Congressional Briefing January 26, 2011

  2. Overview • The increasing rates of obesity and persisting disparities represent a significant threat to the nation’s health • While the numbers are discouraging, there is an unprecedented level of public and private engagement in addressing this health challenge • To reverse the trend we must expand current obesity-prevention efforts and integrate obesity prevention into all relevant policies – from health care to housing and transportation

  3. Obesity Persists as a National Threat • Adult obesity rates continue to rise • Child and adolescent rates are stable, but significant • Disparities by race, income, and geography persist

  4. Adult Obesity Continues to Rise • More than two-thirds of states (38) have obesity rates above 25%

  5. Obesity Threatens Youth • 12 million children and adolescents are obese

  6. Disparities in Obesity Persist • Racial, ethnic, income, and regional disparities continue to persist • Black and Latino rates were higher than Whites in at least 40 states • 10 out of the 11 states with highest rates were in the South • 35.3% of adults earning less than $15,000/year were obese, compared with 24.5% of adults earning $50,000 or more/year

  7. Removing Barriers to Healthy Choices • Ready access to affordable healthy food • Ready access to safe places to be physically active • Integrating physical activity into school and work settings • Improving food choices in schools and at work • Access to health services that address obesity

  8. Fighting Childhood Obesity a Worthwhile Investment • 73% of Americans believe fighting childhood obesity is a worthwhile investment • 58% say it is a very important priority • 56% support expanded investment in anti-obesity programs, even if it costs billions of $ • 61% believe childhood obesity is a problem we can solve in a generation • Views cross party lines and geographic lines

  9. Several Major Efforts • Let’s Move – creating a social movement • White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity • Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) • Focus on communities creating coalitions to address obesity • Healthy, Hunger Free Kids Act • Nutritional standards in schools

  10. New Opportunities • Prevention and Public Health Fund • Legislation specifies focus on obesity factors • Expansion of CPPW • Community Transformation Grants • Expansion and realignment of obesity-related CDC grants • Other Affordable Care Act Initiatives • CHIPRA childhood obesity demonstration • Coverage standards • Nutrition labeling

  11. New Opportunities (Cont.) • National Prevention Strategy – thinking across silos (Health in All Policies) • FDA review of front-of-package labeling • Surface Transportation Reauthorization • Elementary and Secondary Education Act • Farm bill

  12. Maintaining the Momentum • It will take a sustained effort to reverse a problem that has built over several generations • We see major new initiatives across levels of government and in the private sector • The public supports and believes in these investments • Increasing public investment through the Prevention Fund • Reassessing and re-evaluating policies and programs as we learn what works

  13. For Further Information • Please visit our health reform website at: http://healthyamericans.org/health-reform/ • The full text of F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010 is available at: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/ • Feel free to contact Jeff Levi, Executive Director, at jlevi@tfah.org if you have any further questions

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