Press Releases Archive - Page 28 of 31

Trust for America’s Health: Deeply Disappointed Congress Utilized the Prevention Fund as a 21st Century Cures Offset

Washington, D.C., December 7, 2016 – The below is a statement from Rich Hamburg, interim president and CEO, of Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) on the 21^st Century Cures legislative package.

“TFAH is deeply disappointed Congress will utilize the Prevention and Public Health Fund as an offset for the legislative package known as 21^st Century Cures. Cutting the Prevention Fund will limit the nation’s ability to improve health and quality of life and prevent disease.

While TFAH supports aspects of this legislative package, including the much-needed funds to address the opioid epidemic, we remain opposed to using the Prevention Fund to offset the cost of this legislation.

The Prevention Fund is inextricably tied to the nation’s future ability to reign in healthcare costs. This is the nation’s first and only substantial investment in moving from our current “sick care” system to a true preventive health system. The Prevention Fund should be dedicated to its intended purpose: helping all Americans stay healthy.

Despite the exponentially growing burden of largely preventable diseases, federal disease prevention and public health programs remain critically underfunded. Public health spending is still below pre-recession levels, having remained relatively flat for years. Today, more than 12 percent of the CDC budget is supplied through Prevention Fund investments, including the 317 immunization program, epidemiology and laboratory capacity grants and the entire Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant program—all critical to preparing for and responding to public health emergencies.

The United States spends $3 trillion annually on healthcare without much to show for it: Millions of Americans suffer from chronic diseases, which are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths and $1.3 trillion in treatment costs and lost productivity every year.

And, two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese and nearly 20 percent of Americans smoke. Obesity costs the country $147 billion and tobacco use leads to another $130 billion in healthcare spending each year.

Time and again research shows that the vast majority of these chronic diseases can be prevented by investing in addressing the root causes. Yet, the country has repeatedly failed to do so.

The nation cannot afford to trade away our single best investment in preventing disease, preparing for and responding to infectious disease outbreaks, reducing rates of chronic illness, and saving lives and money.”

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Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

Obesity Rates Among Young Children from Low-Income Families Declined in 31 States

Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Trust for America’s Health Highlight Signs of Progress Among WIC Participants, but Emphasize Obesity Rates Remain Too High

Washington, D.C., November 17, 2016 – Obesity rates showed a statistically significant decrease in 31 states and three territories and increased significantly in four states among 2- to 4-year-olds enrolled in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) from 2010 to 2014, according to a study published today in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released a new data visualization showing how state-by-state obesity rates have changed among 2- to 4-year-old WIC participants since 2000 and a series of maps highlighting states’ efforts to help promote nutrition and physical activity in early child care settings.

“These data are encouraging because kids from lower-income families are especially vulnerable and often face higher risk for obesity,” said Donald F. Schwarz, MD, MPH, MBA, vice president, RWJF. “We must continue to track and analyze child obesity and the programs that aim to reduce rates, especially among our nation’s youngest kids. This is critical for informing efforts to address disparities and ensuring that all children—no matter who they are or where they live—have a healthy start from their very first days.”

Utah had the lowest rate of 2- to 4-year-old WIC participants who were obese at 8.2 percent, while Virginia had the highest rate at 20.0 percent, according to today’s findings.

Additional data on obesity rates among young children:

WIC

18 states have obesity rates at or above 15 percent among 2- to 4-year-old WIC participants (in 2014). In 2010, 26 states had a rate at or above 15 percent.
While obesity rates among this population have declined in recent years, they remain high – with a national average of 14.5 percent. The national average was 8.4 percent in 1992.

NHANES

These new data for young children from low-income families reflect the significant inequity in obesity and health related to income—the national obesity rate among 2- to 5-year-olds across all economic levels is 8.9 percent (from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2014).

“It is heartening to see evidence of progress after decades of work,” said Rich Hamburg, interim president and CEO, TFAH. “However, this doesn’t mean we’ve accomplished our goal. We need to keep the momentum going to ensure young children and families have the support they need — through programs like WIC — that help improve access to healthy, affordable food, quality healthcare, home visiting programs and health and nutrition education programs.”

Last month, CDC released a new Early Care and Education State Indicator Report, tracking state policies that aim to prevent obesity in child care settings. Some key findings include:

38 states and Washington, D.C. have Quality Rating and Improvement Systems (QRIS) for child care programs, and, of those, 29 have included obesity prevention in their state standards;
41 states and Washington, D.C. offer online professional development training for early childhood education (ECE) providers that cover obesity prevention topics;
42 states and Washington, D.C. include ECE settings in their comprehensive plans for addressing chronic disease or nutrition and physical activity; and
28 states and Washington, D.C. encouraged enhanced nutrition standards in their Child and Adult Care Food Programs (CACFP) as of 2015.

In September 2016, RWJF and TFAH released State of Obesity 2016: Better Policies for a Healthier America, which included a detailed policy analysis of WIC and other related childhood nutrition and obesity prevention initiatives, noting that:

WIC provides benefits — direct food assistance as well as counseling and education support — to approximately 8 million low-income individuals, including around 2 million pregnant and post-partum women, 2 million infants and 4 million children under age 5;
For every dollar spent on pregnant women enrolled in the WIC program, up to $4.21 is saved in Medicaid spending;
Around 15 million U.S. children live in “food-insecure” households, where they have limited access to adequate food and nutrition due to cost, proximity and/or other resources; and
Food insecurity among families is particularly concentrated in different areas around the country — in 321 counties, the average food insecurity rate is 23 percent, while in the other 2,821 counties, the average rate is 15 percent. Fifty percent of the high food-insecurity counties are in rural areas, 26 percent are metropolitan and 90 percent are in the South.

The State of Obesity report includes recommended strategies and policies to help ensure all young children have the opportunity to maintain a healthy weight. Some key areas of emphasis include:

Ensuring access to quality healthcare and family home visiting programs for at-risk families, which includes supporting early screening for health, nutrition and social service needs and connecting families directly to programs and resources;
Nutrition assistance and education programs and healthy food financing initiatives to make healthy choices affordable and available for all families in all neighborhoods;
Active living initiatives in communities that support places that are convenient and safe to be physically active;
Supporting healthy nutrition and physical activity in all child care settings, including limiting screen time, eliminating sugar-sweetened beverages and implementing the updated standards from the Child and Adult Care Food Program and Child Care and Development Block Grant; and
Prioritizing early childhood education opportunities under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Data released today are from the WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Study (WIC PC) as reported in an analysis of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Review. WIC PC summarizes the demographic information of WIC participants and is based on measured height and weight data. Women, infants and children in families with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) who are at nutritional risk are eligible for the WIC program (FPL is $24,250 for a family of four); some participants become income eligible for WIC through participation in other programs based on income or other economic variables programs. Further analysis of the WIC program and changes in participation levels could provide additional evidence on the factors that helped contribute to the decline in obesity rates.

Follow the conversation at #StateofObesity.

Trust for America‘s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority.

For more than 40 years the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has worked to improve health and health care. We are striving to build a national Culture of Health that will enable all to live longer, healthier lives now and for generations to come. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org. Follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.rwjf.org/twitter or on Facebook at www.rwjf.org/facebook.

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2014 STATE-BY-STATE OBESITY RATES OF WIC PARTICIPANTS AGES 2-4

Based on an analysis of new state-by-state data from the WIC Participant and Program Characteristics Study (WIC PC), obesity rates for children ages 2-4 by state from highest to lowest were:

1. Virginia (20.0); 2. Alaska (19.1); 3. Delaware (17.2); 4. South Dakota (17.1); 5. Nebraska (16.9); 6. (tie) California (16.6) and Massachusetts (16.6); 8. Maryland (16.5); 9. West Virginia (16.4); 10. (tie) Alabama (16.3) and Rhode Island (16.3); 12. (tie) Connecticut (15.3) and 12. New Jersey (15.3); 14. Illinois (15.2); 15. (tie) Maine (15.1) and 15. New Hampshire (15.1); 17. (tie) North Carolina (15.0) and Oregon (15.0); 19. (tie) Tennessee (14.9) and Texas (14.9); 21. (tie) Iowa (14.7) and 21. Wisconsin (14.7); 23. Mississippi (14.5); 24. (tie) Arkansas (14.4) and North Dakota (14.4); 26. (tie) Indiana (14.3) and New York (14.3); 28. Vermont (14.1); 29. Oklahoma (13.8); 30. Washington (13.6); 31. Michigan (13.4); 32. (tie) Arizona (13.3) and Kentucky (13.3); 34. Louisiana (13.2); 35. Ohio (13.1); 36. (tie) District of Columbia (13.0) and Georgia (13.0) and Missouri (13.0); 39. Pennsylvania (12.9); 40. Kansas (12.8); 41. Florida (12.7); 42. (tie) Montana (12.5) and New Mexico (12.5); 44. Minnesota (12.3); 45. (tie) Nevada (12.0) and South Carolina (12.0); 47. Idaho (11.6); 48. Hawaii (10.3); 49. Wyoming (9.9); 50. Colorado (8.5); 51. Utah (8.2).

Note: 1 = Highest rate, 51 = lowest rate.

Trust for America’s Health Releases “Blueprint for a Healthier America” Report Featuring High-Impact Policies for the Next Administration and Congress

Washington, D.C., October 19, 2016 – Today, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) released Blueprint for a Healthier America 2016: Policy Priorities for the Next Administration and Congress which calls for a new approach to health – prioritizing improving health and addressing major epidemics in the United States.

“It’s time for a sea change from our current sick care system to a true health system, where we focus on preventing disease and improving quality of life,” said Richard Hamburg, Interim CEO and President of TFAH. “In the Blueprint, we highlight high-impact policies that could help spare millions of Americans from preventable health problems and save billions in avoidable healthcare costs – if we make them a priority.”

The report highlights pressing crises and how investments could yield positive returns on investment by adopting proven health strategies. For instance:

Investing $1 in substance use prevention to realize as much as $34 in return. Deaths from prescription painkiller use have more than quadrupled in the last 15 years and deaths from heroin have tripled since 2010, contributing to higher death rates among middle-aged Whites. Five of the strongest school-based substance use prevention strategies have returns on investment ranging from $3.8:1 to $34:1.
Saving more than $16 billion through a more active and healthy population. One in three children will develop type 2 diabetes in their lifetime and one in four young adults are not healthy enough to join the military. An investment of $10 per person in proven, evidence-based community prevention programs to increase physical activity, improve nutrition and reduce tobacco use could save the country more than $16 billion annually – a $5.60:1 return.
Connecting health and social services to cut billions in costs. Health and social service coordinating systems that address gaps between medical care and effective social service programs – by connecting patients in need with programs ranging from supportive housing to food assistance – could yield between $15 billion and $72 billion in healthcare savings a year within 10 years, according to a new analysis by TFAH and Healthsperien.
Reducing the $120 billion spent annually on preventable infectious diseases. Fifteen years after 9/11 and 11 years after Hurricane Katrina, when health crises such as new infectious diseases arise, the country still scrambles to implement emergency plans and secure funding. Preventable infectious diseases cost the country more than $120 billion annually – and that cost is exponentially compounded when new diseases emerge.
Realizing a 7-10 percent annual return by investing in early childhood education. More than half of U.S. children – across the economic spectrum – experience adverse experiences, such as physical or sexual abuse, and more than 20 percent live below the poverty line, which increases their risk for “toxic stress” – living under a constant state of stressful conditions – that can contribute to a range of physical, mental and behavioral health issues. Investments in early childhood education can help mitigate against impact of these risks and increase resilience, while also providing an annual return of 7 to 10 percent per year, and supportive nurse-family home visits for high-risk families show a return of $5.70:1.

The Blueprint highlights leading evidence-based strategies for improving health and policy – and models to help bring them to scale across the country. These include:

Supporting Better Health in Every Community: Federal, state and local public health programs and policies should support place-based health improvement partnerships. Doing so will help identify and elevate a local community’s top priorities and bring key partners and assets together – from public health, healthcare, social services, philanthropies, education, businesses and faith and community groups – for a greater collective impact. A network of expert institutes in each state should provide technical assistance to these multisector collaborative partnerships. In addition, the Prevention and Public Health Fund and other community-based health improvement programs should be protected and fully funded.
Modernizing the Public Health System to Be Prepared for Emergencies: The public health system must be modernized – and sufficiently funded – so that it can handle ongoing threats and new emergencies. Too often the country has been caught off guard when a new crisis emerges, diverting attention and resources. There should be 1) greater investment to improve baseline foundational capabilities in communities around the country; 2) a standing Public Health Emergency Fund to provide additional surge funds when needed; 3) improved federal leadership, such as through a Special Assistant to the President for Health Security; and 4) upgrades to out-of-date technology and surveillance systems.
Incentivizing Health Care vs. Sick Care: There should be increased incentives and mechanisms for healthcare insurers, nonprofit hospital community benefit programs and social investment funds to support health improvement strategies. Efforts such as healthcare investment in community-wide health improvement programs, “navigator plus support” health and social service integration (such as Accountable Health Communities), Community Development Financial Institutions for Health (strategic planning and financing intermediaries) and pay-for-outcome approaches should be expanded.

The report also includes a set of policy recommendations to address priority health problems that require urgent action, some highlight areas include:

Stopping the Prescription Painkiller and Heroin Epidemics
Renewing Efforts to Prevent Obesity, Diabetes and Tobacco Use
Highlighting Prevention in the National Cancer Moonshot Initiative
Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic
Stopping Superbugs and Antibiotic Resistance
Lowering the Rising Death Rates Among Middle-Aged Whites
Achieving Health Equity

The Blueprint was supported by grants from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, The California Endowment and The Kresge Foundation.

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Trust for America’s Health Announces New President and CEO, John Auerbach

Washington, D.C., October 7, 2016–Today, Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) announced the selection of John Auerbach, MBA, as its new President and CEO.

Auerbach brings more than 35 years of experience as a leader in the public health field – including serving as the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health, Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission, and, most recently, Associate Director for Policy and Acting Director of the Office for State, Tribal, Local and Territorial Support at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“John is a true innovator in public health and we cannot be more pleased to have him as the new head of TFAH,” said Gail Christopher, board chair of TFAH and vice president for policy and senior advisor at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. “His work embodies a transformative approach to improving health – thinking beyond medical care to support opportunities for better health in our daily lives. We share a vision where every American has the chance to be as healthy as they can be.”

At CDC, Auerbach has focused on promotion of public health and prevention as components of healthcare and payment reform and health system transformation. He also oversees key activities and technical assistance that support the nation’s health departments and the public health system.

Previously, he was, from 2012 to 2014, a distinguished professor of practice in health sciences and director of the Institute on Urban Health Research and Practice at Northeastern University. From 2007 to 2012, he was the commissioner of public health for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Under his leadership, the department developed innovative programs to address racial and ethnic disparities, promote wellness, combat chronic disease, and support the successful implementation of the state’s early healthcare reform initiative. He served as the President of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO) in 2010-2011.

Prior to that, Auerbach was the executive director of the Boston Public Health Commission for nine years during which health equity, emergency preparedness, and tobacco prevention became priorities. In addition to Boston’s public health programs, he oversaw its emergency medical, homeless, and substance abuse services. Throughout his tenure as the city commissioner, Auerbach served as a member of the Board of Directors at the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO).

Earlier in his career Auerbach worked at the state health department for a decade, first as chief of staff and later as an assistant commissioner overseeing the HIV/AIDS Bureau during the early years of the epidemic. He was a founding member and the second president of the National Association of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD).

“I’ve had a lifelong commitment to health and social justice, from the start of my career as a community health worker in one of the earliest community health centers to having the privilege of managing city, state and federal efforts,” said Auerbach. “We’re in a unique moment to define the next generation of health and healthcare – and I am excited to be joining TFAH and being at the leading edge of efforts to advance the mission of creating a healthier America.”

Auerbach will start in his role January 1, 2017. TFAH’s previous executive director, Jeffrey Levi, PhD, is now serving as Professor of Health Policy and Management at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University.

Richard Hamburg, who has been Interim President and CEO at TFAH, will be assuming the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

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Trust for America’s Health’s Statement on Zika Emergency Funding: Encouraged and Grateful

September 29, 2016

Washington, D.C., September 29, 2016 – The following is a statement from Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO of the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) on Congress approving emergency funding to respond to Zika.

“TFAH is encouraged and grateful Congress approved emergency funding to respond to the Zika virus outbreak.

This critical funding, first requested by the White House in February, will help bolster public health detection and prevention efforts, invest in research and development of vaccines and diagnostics, provide care for mothers and children and support the global health response.

While we are satisfied this was the best compromise Congress could achieve at this time, the funding has been direly needed for months and is still less than the President’s request. In addition, these measures fail to repay funds that were redirected from our nation’s ongoing Ebola response initiatives—hurting efforts to prevent a resurgence of that devastating and highly infectious disease.

We are by no means at the finish line in the race to prevent the devastating consequences of Zika. Every day we learn something new about the impacts of this virus, especially on fetal brain development. The list of what we do not know about the transmission and aftereffects of the virus remains long and the delay in funding has hindered critical research efforts.

At the same time, we know the Zika outbreak is the latest, not the last threat. Zika emerged following years of funding cuts to vector-borne disease surveillance and other programs that support core public health preparedness functions.

For years, the nation has relied on a cycle of providing emergency funds during a time of crisis followed by cuts to annual funding lines – which result in lost public health capacity and expertise, making it near impossible to be prepared for the full range of public health threats.

Sadly, with each new crisis, we seemingly rediscover that we have failed to learn our lessons from past outbreaks. It’s up to policymakers to support children, parents and families by providing public health with dedicated funding and a responsible long-term plan.

We call on Congress to maintain a strong and steady defense against a range of threats—and back this with adequate resources.”

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Trust for America’s Health Conducts Social Media Awareness Campaign in Support of Emergency Funding for Zika Prevention and Response

September 12, 2016

Washington, D.C., September 12, 2016 –Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) has released the first in a series of creative cartoons and editorials in support of emergency funding to prevent, mitigate and respond to the disastrous effects of Zika.

The first editorial details the price of inaction, concluding that “with broad support from the American people, it’s time for our leaders to decide whether to heed the warnings and invest in solutions now, or leave the country with a devastating bill later.” The first image is available for anyone to use on Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms.

“Unfortunately, considerable Zika-related damage has already been done to our nation—and it is likely irreversible,” said Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO of TFAH. “Our nation’s failure to act severely hampers the full response that is greatly needed. However, the sooner we do act, the sooner we can prevent further damage and destruction to our nation’s most vulnerable: our newborns.”

During the next few weeks, TFAH will release additional editorials and cartoons to underscore the urgent need for the nation to provide support for communities to prevent, control and mitigate complications arising from Zika.

“Without additional support, health departments and communities are on their own. Either resources will be shifted from other pressing needs or communities will have insufficient means to perform mosquito testing, infection prevention, disease tracking and other actions to protect against this devastating virus,” said Hamburg.

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New Report Finds Adult Obesity Rates Decreased in Four States

Obesity Rates Remain High: 25 States have Adult Obesity Rates above 30 Percent

Washington, D.C., September 1, 2016 – U.S. adult obesity rates decreased in four states (Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio), increased in two (Kansas and Kentucky) and remained stable in the rest, between 2014 and 2015, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). This marks the first time in the past decade that any states have experienced decreases – aside from a decline in Washington, D.C. in 2010.

Despite these modest gains, obesity continued to put millions of Americans at increased risk for a range of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and costs the country between $147 billion and $210 billion each year.

In 2015, Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36.2 percent and Colorado has the lowest at 20.2 percent. While rates remained steady for most states, they are still high across the board. The 13^th annual report found that rates of obesity now exceed 35 percent in four states, are at or above 30 percent in 25 states and are above 20 percent in all states. In 1991, no state had a rate above 20 percent. The analyses are based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).

The State of Obesity also found that:

9 of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South and 22 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
10 of the 12 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South.
American Indian/Alaska Natives have an adult obesity rate of 42.3 percent.
Adult obesity rates are at or above 40 percent for Blacks in 14 states.
Adult obesity rates are at or above 30 percent in: 40 states and Washington, D.C. for Blacks; 29 states for Latinos; and 16 states for Whites.

There is some evidence that the rate of increase has been slowing over the past decade. For instance, in 2005, 49 states experienced an increase; in 2008, 37 states did; in 2010, 28 states did; in 2011, 16 states did; in 2012, only one state did; and in 2014, only two states did. (Note: the methodology for BRFSS changed in 2011).

In addition, recent national data show that childhood obesity rates have stabilized at 17 percent over the past decade. Rates are declining among 2- to 5-year-olds, stable among 6- to 11-year-olds, and increasing among 12- to 19-year-olds. There are significant racial and ethnic inequities, with rates higher among Latino (21.9 percent) and Black (19.5 percent) children than among White (14.7 percent) children.

“Obesity remains one of the most significant epidemics our country has faced, contributing to millions of preventable illnesses and billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs,” said Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO, TFAH. “These new data suggest that we are making some progress but there’s more yet to do. Across the country, we need to fully adopt the high-impact strategies recommended by numerous experts. Improving nutrition and increasing activity in early childhood, making healthy choices easier in people’s daily lives and targeting the startling inequities are all key approaches we need to ramp up.”

Some other findings from the report include:

The number of high school students who drink one or more soda a day has dropped by nearly 40 percent since 2007, to around one in five (20.4 percent) (note: does not include sport/energy drinks, diet sodas or water with added sugars).
The number of high school students who report playing video or computer games three or more hours a day has increased more than 88 percent since 2003 (from 22.1 to 41.7 percent).
More than 29 million children live in “food deserts,” and more than 15 million children live in “food-insecure” households with not enough to eat and limited access to healthy food.
The federal government has provided more than $90 million via 44 Healthy Food Financing Initiative awards in 29 states since 2011, helping leverage more than $1 billion and create 2,500 jobs.
Farm-to-School programs now serve more than 42 percent of schools and 23.6 million children.
18 states and Washington, D.C. require a minimum amount of time that elementary students must participate in physical education; 14 states and Washington, D.C. require a minimum amount for middle schoolers; and six states require a minimum amount for high schoolers.

The report also includes a set of priority policy recommendations to accelerate progress in addressing obesity:

Invest in Obesity Prevention: Providing adequate funding for the Prevention and Public Health Fund and for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion/Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity would increase support to state and local health departments.
Focus on Early Childhood Policies and Programs: Supporting better health among young children through healthier meals, physical activity, limiting screen time and connecting families to community services through Head Start; prioritizing early childhood education opportunities under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA); and implementing the updated nutrition standards covering the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
School-Based Policies and Programs: Continuing implementation of the final “Smart Snacks” rule for improved nutrition for snacks and beverages sold in schools; eliminating in-school marketing of foods that do not meet Smart Snacks nutrition standards; and leveraging opportunities to support health, physical education and activity under ESSA.
Community-Based Policies and Programs: Prioritizing health in transportation planning to help communities ensure residents have access to walking, biking, and other forms of active transportation and promoting innovative strategies, such as tax credits, zoning incentives, grants, low-interest loans and public-private partnerships to increase access to healthy, affordable foods.
Health, Healthcare and Obesity: Covering the full range of obesity prevention, treatment and management services under all public and private health plans, including nutrition counseling, medications and behavioral health consultation, along with encouraging an uptake in services for all eligible beneficiaries.

“This year’s State of Obesity report is an urgent call to action for government, industry, healthcare, schools, child care and families around the country to join in the effort to provide a brighter, healthier future for our children. It focuses on important lessons and signs of progress, but those efforts must be significantly scaled to see a bigger turn around,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of RWJF. “Together, we can build an inclusive Culture of Health and ensure that all children and families live healthy lives.”

The State of Obesity report (formerly known as F as in Fat), with state rankings and interactive maps, charts and graphs, is available at http://stateofobesity.org. Follow the conversation at #StateofObesity.

2015 STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RATES

Based on an analysis of new state-by-state data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, adult obesity rates by state from highest to lowest were:

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity.

1. Louisiana (36.2); 2. (tie) Alabama (35.6), Mississippi (35.6) and West Virginia (35.6); 5. Kentucky (34.6); 6. Arkansas (34.5); 7. Kansas (34.2); 8. Oklahoma (33.9); 9. Tennessee (33.8); 10. (tie) Missouri (32.4) and Texas (32.4); 12. Iowa (32.1); 13. South Carolina (31.7); 14. Nebraska (31.4); 15. Indiana (31.3); 16. Michigan (31.2); 17. North Dakota (31.0); 18. Illinois (30.8); 19. (tie) Georgia (30.7) and Wisconsin (30.7); 21. South Dakota (30.4); 22. (tie) North Carolina (30.1) and Oregon (30.1); 24. (tie) Maine (30.0) and Pennsylvania (30.0); 26. (tie) Alaska (29.8) and Ohio (29.8); 28. Delaware (29.7); 29. Virginia (29.2); 30. Wyoming (29.0); 31. Maryland (28.9); 32. New Mexico (28.8); 33. Idaho (28.6); 34. Arizona (28.4); 35. Florida (26.8); 36. Nevada (26.7); 37. Washington (26.4); 38. New Hampshire (26.3); 39. Minnesota (26.1); 40. Rhode Island (26.0); 41. New Jersey (25.6); 42. Connecticut (25.3); 43. Vermont (25.1); 44. New York (25.0); 45. Utah (24.5); 46. Massachusetts (24.3); 47. California (24.2); 48. Montana (23.6); 49. Hawaii (22.7); 50. District of Columbia (22.1); 51. Colorado (20.2).

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TFAH Statement on Congress Failing to Provide Funding for the Zika Response

Washington, D.C., July 14, 2016 –Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) is extremely disappointed that Congress was unable to reach agreement on a Zika response funding package. The following is a statement from Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO of TFAH.

“By the time Congress returns in a couple of months, the damage to our nation from Zika will likely be irreversible. This failure to act severely hampers the full response that is greatly needed.

The crisis has already reached our shores—this week a baby was born in Texas with Zika-related microcephaly. In addition, public health officials are tracking 320 pregnant women in the continental United States with Zika infections—and there could be hundreds more who have not shown symptoms or have not been identified. In Puerto Rico alone, 2,800 people have already been confirmed to be infected, with expectations that 20 percent of the population could eventually be infected.

Without additional funding, health departments and communities are on their own. Either resources will be shifted from other pressing needs or communities will have insufficient means to perform mosquito testing, infection prevention, disease tracking and other actions.

In addition, vital research on new vaccines, diagnostics and treatments may stop. While this will undoubtedly have short-term consequences, this failure has the potential to cause drastic future problems as researchers find government an unreliable partner in supporting innovation.

Since the White House sent its request to Congress in February, TFAH has worked with a broad coalition of stakeholders in advocating for Congressional action. This coalition includes March of Dimes, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and many others.

Unfortunately—while Congress is on recess—the need for emergency funding will not diminish. In fact, it will increase. Congress must put politics aside and act.”

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TFAH Opposes the U.S. House of Representatives Budget Plan; Urges Congress to Pursue a Balanced Approach to Deficit Reduction

March 15, 2016

Washington, D.C., March 15, 2016 –Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) is disappointed by the proposed U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee resolution. The following is a statement from Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO of TFAH:

“The budget resolution, released by the House Budget Committee, would likely have disastrous consequences for our nation’s health by proposing to cut domestic programs by almost $900 billion over the next decade.

For nearly 10 years, federal public health funding has remained relatively flat. Enacting a budget resolution that further cuts our nation’s investments in prevention and public health would leave Americans less happy, healthy and productive and more susceptible to public health emergencies such as Zika or antibiotic-resistant Superbugs.

Investing in disease prevention is the most effective, common-sense way to improve health. Instead of pushing even more cuts to vital public health programs, TFAH urges Congress to work together to enact a balanced approach to deficit reduction that will replace sequester and the current budget caps to permit adequate investments in public health and other domestic programs that keep Americans healthy, safe and secure.”

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TFAH Calls for Additional Policies, Research, Funding and Public Health Capacity to Prepare for Zika and Other Emerging Outbreaks

February 11, 2016

Washington, D.C., February 11, 2016 – Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) calls on U.S. policymakers to take additional steps to respond to the Zika virus in the Americas and its potential continued spread in the United States. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has warned that there will likely be more cases within the U.S., but at this time they do not believe there will be the kind of widespread outbreaks here as there have been in South America.

President Obama has requested $1.8 billion in emergency funding in his Fiscal Year 2017 budget to prepare for and respond to the Zika virus. The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies is holding a hearing today to review the request. TFAH supports the request for emergency funding, but emphasizes the need for consistent support for the nation’s public health infrastructure.

“The reports that the Zika virus may be related to a steep increase in birth defects in infants born to mothers who were infected during pregnancy in areas of the Americas are frightening,” said Richard Hamburg, Interim President and CEO of TFAH. “While scientists and public health officials are still learning about the virus and the threat it poses to the public’s health, what we do know is that Zika, Ebola, MERS-CoV and other public health threats require constant vigilance. We simply can’t jump from one supplemental funding vehicle to another as a substitute for true public health capacity. There is a lot more the country could be doing to be better prepared for the range of threats we face.”

Although not a new virus, 2015 marked the first widespread transmission of the Zika virus in the Americas. The virus is spread primarily by mosquitoes and usually causes only mild illness or no symptoms, but experts are investigating how it is linked to the rise in birth defects in infants born to mothers who were infected during pregnancy and to cases of Guillaun-Barré syndrome. In January 2016, CDC warned women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant to avoid travel to regions and countries with widespread Zika transmission or to prevent being bitten by mosquitoes there. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the Zika virus and its suspected link to birth defects a public health emergency of international concern.

In response to the Zika virus and other emerging health threats, TFAH recommends the need for:

Policies and communications driven by best available science: When a situation is uncertain and evolving, accompanied by a great deal of fear in the community, policy and communications decisions must be based on the best available science. In recent outbreaks, some policies, such as quarantine decisions, may have been driven by fear or politics. Policymakers should work with public health on risk communications and policies that acknowledge concern among the public and ensure accurate, appropriate information.
Support for research and development of medical countermeasures: There is an urgent need for diagnostics, treatments and vaccines for Zika and other emerging threats. Congress should provide adequate funds to the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), the Strategic National Stockpile and Project BioShield to accelerate development, purchase and stockpiling of medical countermeasures for public health emergencies.
Public health capacity to detect and contain the virus in the U.S.: Federal, state and local health departments must receive a sufficient, stable annual level of funding to meet and maintain a core set of capabilities to respond to emerging and ongoing threats. Modern laboratory, epidemiological and surveillance capacity, as well as the ability to distribute medical countermeasures if needed, are key to containing an infectious disease threat. The Public Health Emergency Preparedness cooperative agreement is an important source of funding for the domestic preparedness infrastructure.
Enhanced health system preparedness for infectious diseases: We must build all-hazards preparedness and infection control protocols into the healthcare delivery system, including coordination between healthcare facilities and with public health and enabling providers to screen and respond to potential cases. The Hospital Preparedness Program provides vital support to the healthcare preparedness system, but funding has dwindled in recent years.
Strengthening the global health infrastructure: Infectious disease control strategies rely on the ability to detect and contain diseases as quickly as possible – which means working with other countries and across borders to contain threats globally. The United States must provide ongoing support for the Global Health Security Agenda and activities such as CDC’s Global Disease Detection program, which build the capacity and coordination needed to identify and contain emerging infectious diseases around the world.

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