Practical Practitioner

By: Pamela Egan, FNP-C CDE

Number of obesity, diabetes cases continues to rise

Obesity and diabetes rates remain on the rise, according to a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, published in January in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the obesity rate of Americans increased to 20.9 percent in 2001, up from 19.8 percent in 2000. The report found that increases in obesity and diabetes among U.S. adults were seen “in both sexes, all ages, all races, all educational levels and all smoking levels.”

The CDC study compared adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 to 24.9 (healthy) to those with a BMI of 40 or higher (obese). Those with the higher BMI were 7.37 times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, 6.38 times more likely to have high blood pressure and 1.88 times more likely to have high cholesterol levels.

Tommy G. Thompson, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, expressed concern.

“Obesity and diabetes are among our top public health problems in the United States today,” he said. “The good news is that diabetes and other chronic illnesses can be prevented with modest lifestyle changes.”

More than 44 million Americans are now considered obese. This is a 74 percent increase from the rates in 1991. During this same time period, diabetes rates have increased by 61 percent to an estimated 17 million Americans, reflecting the correlation between obesity and the risk of developing diabetes.

Many health experts are concerned that the recent report actually underestimates the extent of the nation’s obesity epidemic.

“These increases are disturbing and are likely even underestimated,” said Julie L. Gerberding, MD, MPH, director of the CDC, “What’s more important, we’re seeing a number of serious health effects resulting from people who are overweight and obese. If we continue on this same path, the results will be devastating to both the health of the nation and to our health care system.”

The report also compared the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes and obesity in different states, noting there was often much variation.

Mississippi had often much variation. Mississippi had the highest rate of obesity with 25.9 percent; Colorado’s rate, at 14.4 percent, was the lowest. Alabama had the highest rate of diagnosed diabetes at 10.5 percent and Minnesota was the lowest at 5 perccent.

Because of the strong association between overweight and obesity and several well-established risk factors for morbidity and mortality, reversing the obesity epidemic is an urgent priority,” the CDC researchers said in the report.

To address the obesity epidemic, the CDC recommends Americans get 30 minutes of exercise every day. The CDC said 30 minutes of moderate physical activity most days of the week is beneficial to maintain good health while 60 minutes daily is best to achieve significant weight loss. But the report found that most Americans are not exercising nearly enough, noting that in 2001, 25.5 percent of U.S. Adults did not engage in any leisure-time physical activity.

To promote exercise, the CDC is working with states and communities to develop programs such as Active Community Environments Program, which promotes walking, bicycling, and developing accessible recreational facilities.

This article was originally published February 25, 2003 in The St. Tammany News.

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