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Colorado Physical Activity and Nutrition Program

Overweight and Obesity

Overview

Since 1980, overweight and obesity have become an increasing problem in the United States.  In 1989, the Surgeon General declared obesity a national epidemic.  From 1980 to 1999, the proportion of overweight or obese adults in the United States increased from 47 percent (15 percent obese)  to 61 percent (27 percent obese)¹.

Colorado leads the U.S. with the lowest rates of overweight and obesity.  According to 2006 data, 36.7 percent of Coloradans are overweight  with 18.2 percent of those being obese.       

Source: CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS)

• Cause
• Prevention
• Consequences
• Measuring Obesity
• HP 2010 Obesity Objectives
• Resources and Links

Cause 

The recent increase in overweight and obesity is caused by a complex combination of personal, environmental, social, genetic, and socioeconomic factors.  Weight is gained when there is an energy imbalance.  Energy is consumed through eating food (calories) and is expended through physical activity and metabolism (burning calories).  When more energy is consumed (through eating) than expended (through physical activity and metabolism), the result is a gain of weight.  

Some of the reasons that calories are being consumed at a higher rate are continually increasing portion sizes, abundance and palatability of high calorie food (soft drinks, fast food, etc), and relative inexpensive cost of food.  Calories are also being expended at a lower rate than in previous decades.  Physical activity is not as essential to daily living as it has been in the past.  A smaller proportion of jobs require physical labor, and more time and labor saving devices are available (automobiles, remote controls, etc).  These recent trends significantly contribute to the imbalance in energy expenditure with more calories being consumed, and fewer calories being used.     

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Prevention

There is no simple solution to significantly reduce overweight and obesity.  As a public health problem, it should be approached through the use of several channels.  Some measures that can be taken include, but are not limited to:

• Changing the perception of overweight and obesity at all ages from being a cosmetic problem to a health problem.
• Breastfeeding (breastfed infants may be less likely to become overweight or obese, and mothers who breastfeed may return to pre-pregnancy weight more quickly).
• Providing quality daily physical education in all school grades.
• Choosing to be physically active during leisure time (at least 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per day, most days of the week, and 60 minutes for children and adolescents).
• Making physical activity a part of children's regular routine and playtime.
• Creating community environments that promote physical activity by providing sidewalks, biking and jogging trails, public recreation centers, etc.
• Reducing time engaged in sedentary activities such as watching television.
• Creating more opportunities for physical activity at worksites (providing onsite exercise facilities, allowing ample time for walking during lunch and other breaks, etc) .
• Making healthy personal food choices including at east 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, 6 servings of grains daily (including whole grains), limiting unhealthy fats and sugars, and eating reasonable portion sizes.
• Promoting healthy food choices at home, in schools, at worksites, and in communities.

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Consequences

Overweight and obesity come at a high cost.  There are 300,000 deaths in the United States each year associated with obesity.  Overweight and obesity increase the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, stroke, type 2 diabetes, arthritis, breathing problems, and psychological disorders, such as depression.  The economic cost of obesity in the U.S. was about $117 billion in 2000.² 

Additional health consequences

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Measuring Overweight and Obesity   

Overweight and obesity are generally determined by body mass index (BMI).  BMI is a measure of weight in relation to height.  Although BMI may be an inaccurate measurement for people with a muscular build, it correlates well with total body fat for the majority of people.  The same BMI measurement is used for men and women.  

A healthy BMI is between 18.5 and 24.9.  People with a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 are overweight.  Those with a BMI of 30 or greater are obese.  Complete BMI chart

BMI = (weight (lbs)/height (inches)²) x 703 

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Healthy People 2010 Objectives

Healthy People 2010, a statement of national health objectives designed to identify the most significant preventable threats to health and to establish national goals to reduce these threats, has set objectives to reduce overweight and obesity in the United States. 

• Increase the proportion of adults who are at a healthy weight to 60 percent by 2010.
• Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese to 15 percent by 2010

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Resources and Links

The following links can provide you with more information on overweight and obesity:

• American Heart Association 
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• The Cooper Institute     
• Healthy People 2010
• United States Department of Health and Human Services
• Western Dairy Council

1. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
2. The Surgeon General's Call To Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity 2001

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