Missoula Healthy Kids Report 2010
OVERWEIGHT & OBESITY |
DRAFT |
- How are we doing
- Indicators
- Additional information - Adult overweight in MT and US; Adult overweight trends; barriers to a healthy body weight; chronic disease associated with overweight.
Why this topic
Obesity is the 2nd leading cause of preventable death in the US. It is also responsible for an increased risk of nearly 30 medical conditions, as well as reduced mobility. In addition, the social stigma associated with obesity can hamper employment opportunities and community interaction, leading to isolation and depression.
Overweight is defined as having a Body Mass Index (weight [kg] / height [m2]) at or above the 85th percentile for age and sex based on the reference population of the CDC 2000 growth charts. Obesity is a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile.
Levels of overweight and obesity can be related to education and socioeconomic factors---the less education and income someone has the greater their risk of an unhealthy body weight.
Proper nutrition, healthy food choices, and opportunities to be physically active in families and schools can help set the stage for being at a healthy body weight.
How are we doing
We are not doing well. Missoula children are part of the national epidemic with 25% overweight or obese.
The prevelance of obesity in Montana high school students increased from 6% in 1999 to 10% in 2007. MT Maternal Child Health Needs Assessment 2010
Indicator
In 2010, the Body Mass Index (BMI) for 911 third graders in Missoula was calculated: 74% had a normal, healthy BMI.
MCCHD, Health Promotion Division
Although BMI measurements are not collected in all communities, the CDC estimates that 1/3 of U.S. children ages 6-11 are overweight or obese. Given that parameter we are slightly under the national average with 28% of Missoula 3rd graders being overweight or obese. Missoula BMI report 2009
Healthy People 2020 Target
Percent of adults who are at a healthy weight:
Baseline 2008 – 30.8%
Target – 33.9%
The US Dept
of Health and Human Services sponsors the
Healthy People
objectives,
a science-based, 10-year national plan for improving the health of all
Americans.
For Additional Data and Information important for evaluating this topic, click here.
- Adult overweight and obesity trends - US and Montana
- Minor's in Possession citations issued in Missoula
- Chronic diseases and physical problems associated with being overweight
- Barriers to achieving a healthy body weight - obstacles we need to overcome to improve this measure.
