Startling New Figures on Child Obesity Demonstrate Urgent Need to Focus Health Reform Efforts on Improving Population Wellness and Prevention of Chronic Disease
Intervention Critical to Improving Affordability of Health Care and Boosting Productivity
Washington, D.C. (Apr. 7, 2009) - A new study illustrates that the obesity epidemic is affecting even the youngest Americans, as figures show that one in five four year olds living in the United States is currently obese.
"These numbers are truly shocking," said Ken Thorpe, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease and Chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. "Not only do they call into question the health of the next generation of Americans, they also call into question our nation’s ability to afford health care for a population that is increasingly burdened by obesity and all the serious chronic health conditions that come with it."
The study, which was released in the April 6 edition of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, is an analysis of nationally representative height and weight data on 8,550 preschoolers born in 2001. Children were measured in their homes and were part of a study conducted by the government's National Center for Education Statistics.
According to Dr. Thorpe prevention and management of obesity must be a key focus of current efforts to reform the nation’s health care system. "Without public and private policies to improve Americans' ability to lead healthy, active lives, and to effectively prevent, detect, and manage common chronic conditions, we will never be able to reign in health care costs and boost productivity in the U.S," he said.
Over their lifetime, obese Americans spend more on health care than normal weight Americans, even though they will live about as long. Obese seventy-year-olds will live about as long as those of normal weight but will spend more than $39,000 more on health care.
"In order to improve Americans’ health and productivity, and combat rising health care costs, we need a health care system with incentives that can motivate individuals to actively manage their health, be physically active, and maintain a healthy diet," said Thorpe.
"It's important to recognize that until we address the issue of obesity and related chronic diseases, health care costs will continue to rise and we will place ourselves at a global economic disadvantage by having a less healthy - and less productive - population."
About the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease:
The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease (PFCD) is a national coalition of patients, providers, community organizations, business and labor groups, and health policy experts committed to raising awareness of the number one cause of death, disability, and rising health care costs in the U.S.: chronic disease. For more information about the PFCD and its partner organizations, please visit: http://www.fightchronicdisease.org.
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