Childhood Obesity
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Oklahoma Health Equity Campaign
Health Equity
POSITION STATEMENT
Oklahoma Health Equity Campaign
We are social by nature, and when the ties that bind begin to unravel, so does our health. 1
- HEALTH begins at home in our families, with a loving relationship between parents and their children, where kids can expect to be safe, nurtured and protected.
- HEALTH begins with healthy communities, with safe streets and sidewalks, freedom from violence, and parks where kids can play.
- HEALTH begins with a good education, where children learn not only how to read, write, and prepare for fulfilling, prosperous life, but how to treat each other with dignity and respect.
- HEALTH begins with safe jobs and fair wages, where people derive a sense of personal satisfaction from their work and connection to their co-workers.
- HEALTH begins with healthy relationships, healthy communities, and healthy jobs, which protect us from the stress of everyday life.
HEALTH EQUITY is when everyone has the opportunity to “attain his/her full health potential” and no one is disadvantaged from achieving this potential because of social position or other socially determined circumstance. 2
FACTS
OKLAHOMANS with lower socioeconomic status die earlier and have more disability. 3, 4
- OKLAHOMA ranks 19th highest adults without a high school diploma (14.4%), ranks 6th lowest in median household income ($41,664), ranks 7th highest in the percentage of individuals uninsured (18.7%) among all states (including District of Columbia). 5 Oklahoma ranks 3rd in incarcerations (655 per 100,000 - 32% higher than the national average) among 50 states. 6
- OKLAHOMA ranks at the bottom of the national health rankings, according to the United Health Foundation (49th) and the Commonwealth Fund State Scorecard (50th).
- OKLAHOMANS suffer more unhealthy days (mentally and physically) than adults nationally with suicide being the most common type of violent death according to the 2008 State of the State’s Health Report.
- OKLAHOMA consistently ranks among the lowest states in the consumption of fruits and vegetables7 and is ranked as the 5th most obese state. 8
- OKLAHOMA is 49th in the nation in the limited availability of primary care physicians per 100,000 population . 9
ACHIEVING HEALTH EQUITY
No institution alone can nurture families and communities to build a healthier Oklahoma that will require leadership, and a partnership of business, government, civic, religious and educational institutions. We can’t eradicate illness, but we can foster health by positively impacting the factors affecting health.
THE OKLAHOMA HEALTH EQUITY CAMPAIGN PARTNERS will collaborate with public and private organizations, governmental and community partnerships to build public commitment to achieve health equity and decrease the health inequities in Oklahoma. Our partners will include businesses, advocacy groups, community non-profits, environmental justice organizations, chambers of commerce, religious organizations, labor organizations, professional associations and others.
JOIN US!
E-Mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to request more information or call 405/271-9444. Ext. 56410.
Report: The future costs of obesity
Anderson Cooper, CNN
In a unique study that departed from looking at historical costs of obesity, Kenneth E. Thorpe, Ph.D., and colleagues from Emory University developed an econometric model to estimate the growth of health care costs over time that are attributable to changes in obesity rates. This report provides projections of future health care costs directly attributable to obesity for each state and for the nation.
Using nationally representative data on adults, the study estimates the effect of the increasing prevalence of obesity on total direct health care costs. Estimates are controlled for age, gender, race, ethnicity, marital status, education, income, health insurance status, geographic region and smoking status.
Major Findings:
Obesity is growing faster than any previous public health issue our nation has faced. If current trends continue, 103 million American adults will be considered obese by 2018.
The U.S. is expected to spend $344 billion on health care costs attributable to obesity in 2018 if rates continue to increase at their current levels. Obesity‐related direct expenditures are expected to account for more than 21 percent of the nation’s direct health care spending in 2018.
If obesity levels were held at their current rates, the U.S. could save an estimated $820 per adult in health care costs by 2018 ‐ a savings of almost $200 billion dollars.
At the state level, Oklahoma stands to benefit the most if obesity levels remain steady. This would provide a potential savings of $1,200 per adult or a savings of more than $3.2 billion for the state.
Oklahoma is expected to have the highest obesity rate in the country by 2018; Colorado is estimated to have the lowest obesity rate.
Read the news item on AC360 by clicking here.
The United Health Foundation
The American Public Health Association
Partnership for Prevention
Childhood Obesity National Study
National Center for Health Statistics
Prevalence of Obesity Among Children and Adolescents: United States, Trends 1963–1965 Through 2007–2008
June 2010
by Cynthia Ogden, Ph.D., and Margaret Carroll, M.S.P.H., Division of Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys
Healthy People 2010 identified overweight and obesity as 1 of 10 leading health indicators and called for a reduction in the proportion of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese, but the United States has made little progress toward the target goal. Progress toward reducing the national prevalence of overweight and obesity is monitored using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Click here to download the study.
