F As In Fat Demonstrates Depth of Obesity Epidemic

               Omaha and Douglas County’s efforts to make for a healthier community are highlighted in the new F as in Fat report, released today by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

             While Omaha and Douglas County are singled out for taking action to address the needs of the community, Nebraska ranks in the middle of the states in the report’s adult obesity rankings, which provide a picture of a nation headed toward a medical crisis.

            “This report shows that Douglas County is on the right track, but we have a tremendous amount of work to do,” said Dr. Adi Pour, Douglas County Health Director. “No one should be willing to accept what is going on now. We have to make sure people know they have better and healthier choices to make in their lives.”

            Obesity has been established as a priority area for the Douglas County Health Department. Today’s report includes a feature on how the county is working with Live Well Omaha to create a healthier community by creating more lanes for bicycles, improving the area’s trail system, promoting healthy neighborhood stores and partnering with city planning to build  more exercise-friendly environments.

            Among the stunning statistics in the report, Colorado has the nation’s lowest adult obesity rate at 19.8 percent. Sixteen years ago, that rate would have ranked as the nation’s worst.

            Nebraska ranks 24^th among the states in the new study with an adult obesity rate at 27.6 percent, up from 20^th and 15.2 percent in 1995. Mississippi continues to have the highest rate of adult obesity at 34.4 percent, up from 19.6 percent in 1995.

             “The future health care costs of this epidemic are impossible to predict at this point,” Dr. Pour said. “But we know they will be massive in addressing diabetes and heart disease. This report should serve as a call to action.”