Federal officials say obesity near epidemic proportions

Americans are killing themselves with their lack of physical activity and poor diet.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says the number of Americans who are overweight or obese has reached epidemic proportions. More than 400,000 deaths in 2000 were attributable to obesity, a 33 percent rise over 1990. And the risk of death or chronic disease rises with an increased body weight, according to information from the U.S. surgeon general's Web site.

In Missouri, 60 percent of all adults are considered overweight or obese. That figure jumped by 95 percent from 1990 to 2002. In 1986, the obesity rate in Missouri was only 10 percent.

"People know what they need to do, but what we've done in society is create an environment that's not conducive to maintaining a reasonable weight status," said Donna Merhle, program coordinator for the Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion unit of the state Department of Health and Senior Services.

As technology has advanced, people have become more sedentary. The increased availability of food, particularly convenience foods and snacks, means people are consuming more calories, getting less nutrients and adding pounds.

The solution isn't just in encouraging people to lose weight but in making environmental and policy changes that promote a higher level of physical activity, Mehrle said.

"You can't take a complex problem and offer a single solution to fix it," said Ross Brownson, a professor of epidemiology at St. Louis University's School of Public Health. "We don't know what all the answers to this are because if we did we'd be doing them."

Part of the challenge is in making people aware of how their lifestyle affects their health. People don't want to go to extremes to add nutritious meals and exercise to their day's activities, said Lisa Talamini, a registered dietitian and program development coordinator for Jenny Craig Inc.

"People who don't exercise say it's because they don't have time. But it doesn't have to be a grueling exercise routine," she said.

Simply adding 30 minutes of exercise -- even in 10-minute spurts -- can be beneficial to reducing weight or maintaining a steady weight. "You have to look for ways to sneak activity into your day," Talamini said.

Wearing a pedometer, walking your children to school, or taking a family hike on the weekends are simple changes that can bring big results, experts say.

"People need to take responsibility" for their role in helping overcome the obesity problem in America, Brownson said. It can't just be a matter of public or private entities working on the problem.

Missouri officials have taken the obesity epidemic seriously. The state health department is participating in a federal program through the Centers for Disease Control that addresses issues of nutrition and physical activity as a means of overcoming obesity.

The state's Obesity Council, whose work is funded by the CDC, is still developing its report, Mehrle said. A draft was presented in July for public comment. The final work could be ready by year's end.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

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