[acb-diabetics] high rate of obesity...

[Patricia LaFrance-Wolf]

This article originally posted 23 November, 2009 and appeared in

Issue 497

Highest Rates of Obesity, Diabetes in the South, Appalachia, and some Tribal
Lands



Wide sections of the Southeast, Appalachia, and some tribal lands in the
West and Northern Plains have the nation′s highest rates of obesity and
diabetes,

according to estimates released last week by the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention. What are the percentages in your neighborhood?



The estimates, in last week′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, are
the first to provide county-level snapshots of obesity across the United
States.

They also update diabetes county-level estimates released in 2008.



Eighty-one percent of counties in the Appalachian region that includes
Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia have high rates of diabetes and
obesity.

So do three-quarters of counties in the southern region that includes
Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina.



"Diabetes is costly in human and economic terms, and it′s urgent that we
take action to prevent and control this serious disease," said Dr. Ann
Albright,

director of CDC′s Division of Diabetes Translation. "The study shows strong
regional patterns of diabetes and can help focus prevention efforts where
they

are most needed."



The estimates come from the agency′s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance
System (BRFSS), which uses self-reported data from state-based adult
telephone

surveys, and 2007 census information. The information may help public health
workers, health care providers, community organizations, and policymakers

focus on high-risk regions to prevent Type 2 diabetes and its complications
as well as other chronic diseases linked to obesity, including heart
disease,

stroke, and some cancers.



The proportion of U.S. adults who are obese was 26.1 percent in 2008,
according to BRFSS data. CDC estimates that nearly 8 percent of the
population, or

about 24 million people, have diabetes. Of these, 5.7 million are
undiagnosed.



"The small-area estimates for obesity will be an important tool to help
communities better understand and battle this serious public health problem.
Communities

are in the best position to prevent and reduce obesity among their citizens
through innovative programs," said Dr. William H. Dietz, director of CDC's

Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity.



The medical costs of obesity reached an estimated $147 billion in 2008, and
the medical costs of diabetes were $116 billion. People with diagnosed
diabetes

have medical costs that are 2.3 times higher than those without the disease.




Obesity is one of several factors linked to Type 2 diabetes. Where people
live, how much money they earn, their culture and their family history also
play

a role.  An unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and socioeconomic
factors contribute to both obesity and Type 2 diabetes as well as to
complications

of diabetes. Some population groups also are at higher risk, including a
number of racial and ethnic minorities.



CDC and its partners are working on a variety of initiatives to prevent Type
2 diabetes and to reduce obesity.  CDC has recommended 24 community
strategies

to prevent obesity, from providing greater access to healthy foods to
redesigning communities to encourage more physical activity. The agency is
also in

a new partnership with state, federal, and nonprofit agencies targeting
health disparities in Mississippi, which has the nation′s highest obesity
rate

and one of the highest rates of diabetes. CDC's national diabetes prevention
and control program provides resources and technical assistance to state
health

departments, national organizations, and communities.



To see county-level estimates of obesity and diagnosed diabetes in your
area, go to

www.cdc.gov/diabetes/statistics

.  For more information on diabetes and preventing the disease, visit

www.cdc.gov/diabetes

. To learn more about CDC's efforts in the fight against obesity or for more
information about nutrition, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy
weight,

go to

www.cdc.gov/obesity/index.html.

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