Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Contact: Spence Jackson or Jessica Robinson, (573) 751-0290
Blunt Launches Healthy Missourians Initiative
COLUMBIA—Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt today launched a new plan to address the state’s obesity epidemic and to encourage healthier lifestyles by Missourians of all ages.
Blunt unveiled his "Healthy Missourians" initiative at a stop today in Columbia and stops yesterday in Springfield, St. Louis, Kansas City and St. Joseph accompanied by Julie Eckstein, Director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
More than 23 percent of Missouri adults are obese, which increases the risk for serious and sometimes disabling diseases and premature death. In addition, more than half of all adults in the state are overweight, which can eventually lead to obesity and other health problems.
Blunt said he is particularly concerned about increasing incidence of overweight among children. He noted that in the past five years in Missouri, the prevalence of obese middle school students increased by 75 percent and prevalence of obese high school students increased by 64 percent. Nationally, more than 10 percent of children and adolescents are overweight.
"Obesity is one of the most serious health issues facing Missouri and our entire country," Blunt said. "We need to make it a priority to address the causes of obesity and that begins with our children. This is something that communities, schools and local health organizations need to get behind to help ensure that we do not doom our children to shorter lives or a poorer quality of life."
Obesity carries a high price in terms of poor health and financial burden. It contributes to a number of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and arthritis and increases the risk for some kinds of cancer including colon, breast, kidney and gallbladder. Direct medical costs attributed to obesity in Missouri totaled $1.6 billion in 1998, according to the health department.
"Healthy Missourians" outlines a number of actions to help address the obesity problem and encourage healthier living including:
- Support family-focused community activities that provide healthy nutrition and physical activity opportunities.
- Help schools and child-care facilities identify resources to assist families with children at risk for obesity.
- Recognize successful approaches used by employers that enable employees to improve nutrition, physical activity and breastfeeding practices.
- Provide training, resources and assistance to schools, child-care facilities, families, communities and employers.
- Provide support for primary health care facilities to address obesity risks in early stages.
- Inform public officials about the health and economic costs of obesity.
Director Eckstein said helping the governor implement the initiative and encouraging Community, school and employer participation would be one of the Department of Health’s top goals in the coming years. In addition to targeting children, Eckstein said the department would also work to get adults of all ages interested in improving their health.
"It is never too late to start thinking about good health," Eckstein said. "I commend the governor for bringing this important issue to the forefront of the public debate and look forward to working with him to encourage healthier living among all of our state’s citizens."
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