Issue Category: Obesity/Chronic Disease

TFAH’s President and CEO Dr. Gracia Discusses the Significance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day & National Day of Racial Healing

(Washington, DC – January 15, 2024) – This week TFAH’s President and CEO, Dr. J. Nadine Gracia and Director of Strategic Communications and Policy Research Rhea Farberman discussed the significance of two important observances, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day and the National Day of Racial Healing. The conversation focused on the intersections between Dr. King’s mission to advance social justice and TFAH’s work to promote optimal health. Also discussed were the ways in which structural racism creates barriers to good health for many people of color and the policy actions needed to dismantle those barriers.

“What we know, especially in thinking about this in terms of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and the National Day of Racial Healing, is that for too many people of color and communities of color there has been, over many decades, a disadvantage in terms of access to health promoting resources.”

“We have to act with a sense of urgency because the health, well-being and prosperity of our nation depends on it.  That’s the call that I believe Dr. King would challenge us to continue, to strive for and not relent.  That’s his legacy to us, to ensure that everyone us the opportunity to reach their full potential for health.”

Dr. J. Nadine Gracia
President and CEO
Trust for America’s Health

“Listen to the full conversation”

 

Nutrition Support Programs are Vital to Preventing Food and Nutrition Insecurity and Reducing Chronic Disease – Congress Must Act to Support Them

As of early November 2023, draft appropriation bills by both the House of Representatives and the Senate do not adequately fund the WIC nutrition support program, threatening to break a nearly 30-year, bipartisan commitment to ensure all participants can access the program without waitlists.

(Washington, DC – 11/20/23) – Access to nutritious food is critical to preventing many chronic diseases and is particularly important to keep young children on track with their growth and developmental needs. In 2022, an estimated 12.8 percent of U.S. households experienced food and or nutrition insecurity sometime during the year.
As Trust for America’s Health’s (TFAH) State of Obesity report series has demonstrated, food insecurity is a risk factor for obesity and other nutrition-related chronic diseases. Progress on addressing these critical public health issues is in jeopardy if Congress does not provide funding for federal nutrition support programs during the current fiscal year.
One of the key federal nutrition programs supporting the specific nutritional needs of young children, infants, and birthing people is the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC. Created in 1972, the WIC program is a short-term, public health intervention program designed to strengthen lifetime nutrition and health behaviors within households with low-incomes. The WIC program provides nutrition benefits tailored to support a young child’s development. Over time, the program, including its food packages, has aligned with new science about the key nutrients infants and children need. These changes have had a significant impact. Studies show that the 2007 benefit update helped improve beneficiaries’ diets and decreased rates of obesity among enrolled toddlers ages 2-4.

The WIC program also adapted to challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic by implementing new flexibilities, such as allowing WIC agencies to remotely load benefits cards. In 2021, Congress also increased the monthly benefit available to families to purchase more fruits and vegetables from $9 to $26 for children, and from $11 to $47 for pregnant and postpartum participants. These changes modernized the program and in turn increased participation; important because WIC has long had lower participation rates in comparison to the number of eligible families.

Today, nearly seven million parents and children under five years old depend on the WIC program, and participation is expected to grow due to increased program flexibilities. To keep up with increased demand, additional program funding is needed. As of early November 2023, draft appropriation bills by both the House of Representatives and the Senate do not adequately fund the WIC program, which threatens to break a nearly 30-year, bipartisan commitment to ensure all participants can access WIC without waitlists. Increasing food costs, make action to grow the WIC program critically important as families are struggling to afford healthy meals and may be forced to turn to cheaper but less nutritious alternatives.

Critical public health programs like WIC not only provide nutritious foods to families in the short term, but also help prevent diet-related diseases. Trust for America’s Health urges Congress to increase funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 budget for the WIC program to ensure pregnant and postpartum birthing people and their young children have the nutrition they need to enjoy good

The State of Obesity: Creating Pathways to a Healthier America

On October 11, 2023, Trust for America’s Health hosted an in-person and livestream event recognizing the 20th anniversary of its State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  The two-hour event featured White House and federal officials discussing the Biden Administration’s priorities for improving nutrition and health including its National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. In addition, senior federal agency officials discussed a whole-of-government approach to advance transformative policies and programs designed to address increasing rates of diet-related diseases and improve the health of the nation.

Another highlight of the event was a panel featuring community leaders and medical experts discussing effective community level obesity prevention programs and innovative approaches to create sustainable change to promote health.

Four-time track and field Olympian and American record holder Chaunte Lowe closed the program discussing the role that sports can play in promoting health and well-being. Ms. Lowe is a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

 

The State of Obesity: Creating Pathways to a Healthier America Livestream Event

(Washington, DC – October 18, 2023) – On October 11, 2023, Trust for America’s Health hosted an in-person and livestream event recognizing the 20th anniversary of its State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  The two-hour event featured White House and federal officials discussing the Biden Administration’s priorities for improving nutrition and health including its National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health. In addition, senior federal agency officials discussed a whole-of-government approach to advance transformative policies and programs designed to address increasing rates of diet-related diseases and improve the health of the nation.

Another highlight of the event was a panel featuring community leaders and medical experts discussing effective community level obesity prevention programs and innovative approaches to create sustainable change to promote health.

Four-time track and field Olympian and American record holder Chaunte Lowe closed the program discussing the role that sports can play in promoting health and well-being. Ms. Lowe is a member of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

Event speakers were:

  • Will McIntee, Senior Advisor for Public Engagement, The White House
  • James “Jim” Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • Caree Cotwright, PhD, RDN, Director of Nutrition Security and Health Equity, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • Ruth Petersen, M.D., MPH, Director, Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Jamila Freightman, CDC High Obesity Program Manager, Louisiana State University AgCenter Healthy Communities Program School of Nutrition and Food Sciences
  • Randy Williams, Co-Founder/Vice President of the Robinson/Williams Restoration of Hope Community Center, Bastrop, Louisiana
  • Kofi Essel, M.D., MPH, FAAP, Food as Medicine Program Director, Elevance Health
  • Chaunte Lowe, 4-time Olympian, American Record Holder, and Council Member, President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition

TFAH President and CEO Dr. J. Nadine Gracia and TFAH Executive Vice President Dr. Tekisha Dwan Everette moderated the event. TFAH Chief Operating Officer Stacy Molander served as the event emcee.

 

Nuevo informe: Las tasas de obesidad en adultos continua en aumentando, particularmente en comunidades que enfrentan dificultades para lograr una alimentación saludable y tienen menos oportunidades para realizar actividad física

El vigésimo informe anual revela que 22 estados presentan niveles de obesidad en adultos superiores al 35 por ciento

(Washington, DC – 21 de septiembre del 2023) – Según el nuevo informe, publicado el día de hoy sobre el Estado de la obesidad 2023: Mejores políticas para una América más saludable (State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America), demuestra que la cantidad de adultos en los Estados Unidos con obesidad sigue aumentando. Dicho informe es la vigésima edición anual producida por Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), el cual examina las causas fundamentales del aumento de las tasas de obesidad en el país y hace recomendaciones de políticas para abordarlas.

De acuerdo con el análisis de TFAH de los datos más recientes del Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés) y del Sistema de Vigilancia de Factores de Riesgo del Comportamiento, en el 2022, 22 estados tenían una tasa de obesidad en adultos igual o superior al 35 por ciento, en comparación a 19 estados registrados el año anterior. Hace una década atrás, no se registraba una tasa de obesidad igual o superior del 35 por ciento en ningún estado.

Virginia Occidental (41%), Luisiana (40,1%), Oklahoma (40,0%) y Mississippi (39,5%) tienen las tasas más altas de obesidad en adultos. El Distrito de Columbia (24,3%), Colorado (25,0%) y Hawaii (25,9%) tienen las tasas más bajas de obesidad en adultos.

En las últimas dos décadas, las tasas de obesidad han aumentado en todos los grupos de población, y ciertas poblaciones de color experimentan las tasas más altas, a menudo debido a dificultades de estructura referente a una alimentación saludable y a la falta de oportunidades y lugares para estar físicamente activo.

Los resultados de la data en el informe de la Encuesta Nacional de Examen de Salud y Nutrición (NHANES) 2017-2020 rastrean las tendencias de la obesidad a nivel nacional y dentro de los grupos de población. A nivel nacional, el 41,9 por ciento de los adultos tienen obesidad. Los adultos negros, latinos y las personas que viven en comunidades rurales tienden a tener las tasas más altas de obesidad.

  • Los adultos negros tienen el nivel más alto de obesidad adulta con un 49,9 por ciento.
  • Los adultos hispanos tienen una tasa de obesidad del 45,6 por ciento.
  • Los adultos blancos tienen una tasa de obesidad del 41,4 por ciento.
  • Las zonas rurales del país tienen mayores índices de obesidad que las zonas urbanas y suburbanas.

Las tasas de obesidad también están aumentando entre los niños y adolescentes: casi el 20 por ciento de los niños estadounidenses de 2 a 19 años tienen obesidad según los datos de NHANES de 2017-2020. Estas tasas se han más que triplicado desde mediados de la década de 1970, siendo los jóvenes negros y latinos los que tienen las tasas de obesidad sustancialmente más altas que sus pares blancos.

Una comprensión en evolución de la obesidad

Desde la primera publicación del informe de TFAH en el 2004, la tasa nacional de obesidad en adultos ha aumentado en un 37 por ciento y la tasa nacional de obesidad juvenil aumentó en un 42 por ciento. Los aumentos generalizados muestran que la obesidad es un problema que afecta a toda la sociedad a nivel poblacional, es decir, que tiene sus raíces en factores sociales y ambientales, lo que significa que a menudo están más allá de la elección individual. TFAH concluye que resolver la crisis de obesidad del país requerirá abordar los factores económicos y estructurales que impactan el lugar donde vive la gente y su acceso al empleo, el transporte, la atención médica, alimentos asequibles y saludables, y lugares para estar físicamente activo.

En los últimos 20 años, se han logrado avances importantes en la comprensión de que la obesidad es una enfermedad y cómo prevenirla, entendiendo el papel que desempeñan los determinantes sociales de la salud y las desigualdades en el ámbito salubre a la hora de impulsar las tasas de obesidad. Además, la implementación de muchas políticas y programas relacionados con la obesidad, brindando un mayor acceso y beneficios dentro de los programas de apoyo nutricional, tienen un historial comprobado de éxito, pero se necesita una mayor inversión para llegar a más personas y comunidades.

“Es fundamental reconocer que la obesidad es una enfermedad multifactorial que involucra mucho más que el comportamiento individual”, dice J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, presidente y director ejecutivo de Trust for America’s Health. “Para detener la tendencia de décadas de aumentar las tasas de obesidad, debemos reconocer que la crisis de la obesidad tiene sus raíces en desigualdades económicas, sanitarias y ambientales. Garantizar que todas las personas y comunidades tengan oportunidades equitativas y acceso a alimentos saludables y actividad física es fundamental para abordar esta crisis”.

Abordar la obesidad es fundamental porque está asociada con una variedad de enfermedades, como diabetes tipo 2, enfermedades cardíacas, accidentes cerebrovasculares, artritis, apnea del sueño y algunos cánceres. Se estima que la obesidad aumenta el gasto sanitario en Estados Unidos en 170.000 millones de dólares al año (incluidos miles de millones de Medicare y Medicaid).

Recomendaciones para abordar la crisis de la obesidad

El informe propone un plan de acción, promoviendo ciertas recomendaciones para ser consideradas por funcionarios federales, estatales, locales y otras partes interesadas en cinco áreas en particular:

  • Promover la equidad en salud dedicando estratégicamente recursos federales a esfuerzos que reduzcan las disparidades relacionadas con la obesidad y las condiciones relacionadas, incluso aumentando la financiación para los programas de prevención de enfermedades crónicas y obesidad de los CDC.
  • Disminuir la inseguridad nutricional y al mismo tiempo mejorar la calidad nutricional de los alimentos disponibles. Las medidas de acción incluyen garantizar comidas escolares saludables para todos los estudiantes, aumentar el acceso al Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP) y otros programas de apoyo nutricional, e implementar un sistema obligatorio de etiquetado frontal en los envases de alimentos para ayudar a los consumidores a tomar decisiones informadas.
  • Cambiar las estrategias de marketing y precios que conducen a disparidades en materia de salud, incluido el cierre de lagunas fiscales y la eliminación de las deducciones de costos comerciales por anunciar alimentos no saludables a los niños.
  • Hacer que la actividad física y el entorno construido sean más seguros y accesibles para todos. Las medidas de acción incluyen aumentar los fondos federales para la educación para apoyar la salud y la educación física en las escuelas e invertir en proyectos donde la gente pueda transportarse activamente por senderos para peatones y bicicletas.
  • Trabajar en el sistema de atención médica para reducir las disparidades sociales y aumentar el acceso al seguro médico mediante la expansión de Medicaid, haciendo que los seguros en el mercado sean más asequibles, ampliando los exámenes de atención médica para las necesidades sociales.

Acceda al informe completo

 

Trust for America’s Health es una organización no partidista y sin fines de lucro que promueve una salud óptima para cada persona y comunidad y hace de la prevención de enfermedades y lesiones una prioridad nacional. www.tfah.org

New Report: Rates of Adult Obesity Continue to Climb, Particularly in Communities Experiencing Barriers to Healthy Eating and Few Opportunities for Physical Activity

20th Annual Report Finds 22 States Have Adult Obesity Levels Above 35 Percent

(Washington, DC – September 21, 2023) – The number of adults in the United States with obesity continues to climb according to a new report, State of Obesity 2023: Better Policies for a Healthier America, released today. The report, the 20th annual edition produced by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), examines the root causes of the nation’s rising obesity rates, and makes policy recommendations to address them.

According to TFAH’s analysis of the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, in 2022, 22 states had an adult obesity rate at or above 35 percent, up from 19 states the prior year. A decade ago, no state had an adult obesity rate at or above the 35 percent level.

West Virginia (41%), Louisiana (40.1%), Oklahoma (40.0%), and Mississippi (39.5%) have the highest rates of adult obesity. The District of Columbia (24.3%), Colorado (25.0%), and Hawaii (25.9%) have the lowest adult obesity rates.

Over the past two decades obesity rates have climbed for all population groups with certain populations of color experiencing the highest rates, often due to structural barriers to healthy eating and a lack of opportunities and places to be physically active.

Data summarized in the report from the 2017 – 2020 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) tracks obesity trends nationally and within populations groups. Nationally, 41.9 percent of adults have obesity. Black and Latino adults and people living in rural communities tend to have the highest rates of obesity.

  • Black adults have the highest level of adult obesity at 49.9 percent.
  • Hispanic adults have an obesity rate of 45.6 percent.
  • White adults have an obesity rate of 41.4 percent.
  • Rural areas of the country have higher rates of obesity than urban and suburban areas.

Obesity rates are also increasing among children and adolescents with nearly 20 percent of U.S. children ages 2 to 19 having obesity according to 2017–2020 NHANES data. These rates have more than tripled since the mid-1970s, and Black and Latino youth have substantially higher rates of obesity than do their white peers.

An Evolving Understanding of Obesity

Since TFAH’s initial report, published in 2004, the national adult obesity rate has increased by 37 percent and the national youth obesity rate increased by 42 percent. The widespread increases show that obesity is a society-wide, population-level issue, i.e., one rooted in societal and environmental factors that are often beyond individual choice. TFAH concludes that solving the nation’s obesity crisis will require addressing the economic and structural factors that impact where people live and their access to employment, transportation, healthcare, affordable and healthy food, and places to be physically active.

Over the past 20 years, important strides have been made in understanding that obesity is a disease and how to prevent it, including the role that social determinants of health and health inequities play in driving obesity rates. Furthermore, many obesity-related policies and programs that have been implemented, such as increased access to and benefits within nutrition support programs, have a proven record of success but need increased investment to reach more people and communities.

“It’s critical to recognize that obesity is a multifactored disease involving much more than individual behavior,” says J. Nadine Gracia, M.D., MSCE, President and CEO of Trust for America’s Health.  “In order to stem the decades long trend of increasing obesity rates we have to acknowledge that the obesity crisis is rooted in economic, health, and environmental inequities.  Ensuring all people and communities have equitable opportunity and access to healthy food and physical activity is fundamental to addressing this crisis.”

Addressing obesity is critical because it is associated with a range of diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, arthritis, sleep apnea, and some cancers. Obesity is estimated to increase U.S. healthcare spending by $170 billion annually (including billions by Medicare and Medicaid).

Recommended Policy Steps to Address the Obesity Crisis

The report includes recommendations for policy actions that should be taken by federal, state, and local officials and other stakeholders within five issue areas:

  • Advance health equity by strategically dedicating federal resources to efforts that reduce obesity-related disparities and related conditions, including by increasing funding for CDC’s chronic disease and obesity prevention programs.
  • Decrease nutrition insecurity while improving nutritional quality of available food. Actions steps include guaranteeing healthy school meals for every student, increasing access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other nutrition support programs, and implementing a mandatory front-of-package labeling system on food packaging to help consumers make informed choices.
  • Change the marketing and pricing strategies that lead to health disparities, including closing tax loopholes and eliminating business-cost deductions for advertising unhealthy food to children.
  • Make physical activity and the built environment safer and more accessible for everyone. Action steps include increasing federal education funding to support health and physical education in schools and investing in active transportation projects like pedestrian and bike paths.
  • Work within the healthcare system to reduce disparities and close gaps in clinical-to-social service referrals by increasing access to health insurance through expanding Medicaid, making marketplace insurance more affordable, and expanding healthcare screenings for social needs.

 

Read the full report