Nearly every community in America is in the midst of an epidemic. Approximately 27.5 percent of Americans are obese, according to the 2011 America’s Health Rankings®. Incredibly, that’s an increase of 137 percent since 1990. Another 35 percent of Americans are overweight, and right now, more Americans live at an unhealthy weight than at a healthy weight.
The impact is staggering. Obesity is a leading risk factor for diabetes, heart disease and many cancers. It even affects a woman’s ability to give birth to a healthy baby. Additional health care costs associated with obesity are estimated to cost our nation $190 billion a year, according to research published in January in the Journal of Health Economics. That’s equal to $609.77 for every man, women and child in America and does not include resources wasted through lost productivity.
Anyone who has tried to lose weight understands the struggle. It requires changing so many of life’s habits while facing push back from our schedules, our traditions and even own bodies. Addressing obesity at a personal or community level demands a significant shift in mindset.
Every day, we eat to celebrate achievements, mourn disappointments, relieve stresses and feel connected. Our fast-paced lives rarely make room for a walk around the block, never mind an hour at the gym. And, new research shows our body’s own survival instincts may fight against our weight loss efforts.
Understanding the challenges, many communities are coming together to better support their residents in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. They are changing the cultures of their workplaces, schools and homes to be ones that make time for exercise, value nutritious foods and connect people through healthy activities.
In St. Louis, with the support of the United Health Foundation, we have launched Live Well STL, a three-part plan to better support residents in physical activity and healthy eating. In talking to hundreds of St. Louisians, we found our community had many resources to support healthy lives but they could benefit from being better connected to each other and those they serve.
The Live Well STL plan aims to make those connections through a searchable, community resource guide linking residents to exercise classes, fresh produce and health education. It also offers assistance to employers looking to better support their employees in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight and it gives primary care teams the resources they need to help patients in weight loss.
The Live Well STL online, searchable community resource guide is in development and scheduled to launch later this year. More than 200 potential community partners, each offering a unique service to the community, have been identified. Many have attended informational forums to learn more about the resource guide and provide input prior to launch.
The employer piece of the Live Well STL plan has already completed a pilot phase and full implementation will begin later this month. More than 30 employers of various sizes and industries will receive assistance in completing a nationally standardized assessment of how well their worksites and policies support employees in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. They also will receive personalized feedback detailing how the organization compares to peers and national best practice as well as opportunities for high-value improvements. An aggregate report will compile the employers’ results and provide a baseline community assessment.The employer piece of the Live Well STL plan has already completed a pilot phase and full implementation will begin later this month. More than 30 employers of various sizes and industries will receive assistance in completing a nationally standardized assessment of how well their worksites and policies support employees in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. They also will receive personalized feedback detailing how the organization compares to peers and national best practice as well as opportunities for high-value improvements. An aggregate report will compile the employers’ results and provide a baseline community assessment.
Creating a healthier nation will occur as individuals, supported by their loved ones and communities work hard each day to make better choices. I challenge each of us to spend each day trying to make better choices for ourselves and trying to support those around us in living healthier. For more information on Live Well STL, visit www.midwesthealthinitiative.org.