U.S. Struggles to Control Obesity

Health problems caused by overweight and obesity could reverse many of the health gains achieved in the United States in recent decades, according to a "call to action” report issued by Dr. David Satcher, the U.S. Surgeon General (Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, USA).

In 1999, an estimated 61% of U.S adults were overweight, along with 13% of children and adolescents. Obesity among adults has doubled since 1980, while overweight among adolescents has tripled. Already, these trends are associated with dramatic increases in conditions such as asthma and type 2 diabetes among children. Dr. Sacher's report outlined strategies to address the problem. These include requiring physical education at all school grades, providing more healthy food options on school campuses, providing safe and accessible recreational facilities for residents of all ages, reducing the time spent watching television, and increasing research on the behavioral and biologic causes of overweight and obesity.

The total direct and indirect costs attributed to overweight and obesity amounted to U.S.$11 billion in 2000. As a result, a number of states are considering laws to combat the rise in obesity. Legislation already passed in various states includes a law to test the body-mass index (BMI) of students, with the results sent to parents; a law that makes physical education a school requirement; and a law that bans sugar or fat in food items in school vending machines.

"Overweight and obesity may soon cause as much preventable disease and death as cigarette smoking,” said Dr. Satcher. "People tend to think of overweight and obesity as strictly a personal matter, but there is much that communities can and should do to address these problems.”




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Surgeon General