Commitment needed in fighting fat epidemic

It’s not happenstance that St. Mary’s Medical Center recently opened a Bariatric Services department. You only have to look at the recent statistics just out from the eighth annual study, “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future,” sponsored by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to understand the need.

Missouri’s adult obesity rate hit 30.3 percent, down from last year’s 30.5 percent. While that seems encouraging, two of every three adults in Missouri are either obese or overweight and only 10 other states are heavier. Our neighbors in Kansas did not fare much better coming in at 13th (29.6 percent).

In spite of what might be called improvement, more than 15 years ago when Missouri was the seventh fattest state, obesity rates have nearly doubled in that time frame. Today, even the state with the lowest adult obesity rate (Colorado at 21 percent) would have topped the list back in 1995. The picture is nothing short of epidemic.

There is no denying it: Obesity is a serious health risk. Research has shown a clear link between obesity, diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure). Obesity is linked to other health conditions as well, including kidney disease, liver disease, osteoarthritis – even sleep apnea.

We simply can no longer afford to ignore the impact of obesity on the health of our nation. Some states now have school meal standards which exceed USDA requirements. Others are limiting where and how snack foods and beverages are sold. Twenty one states including Missouri now require body mass index (BMI) screening for children and adolescents, and though all states have physical education requirements, the study found many were inadequate or unenforced.

The study’s recommendations for policymakers included:

• Fund the Protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund with emphasis on obesity prevention.
• Implement the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act including USDA school meal regulations and strong standards for foods and beverages sold outside of the formal meal programs.
• Implement the National Physical Activity Plan including grassroots advocacy efforts, public education program and a national resource center
• Restore cuts to vital programs that improve nutrition in child care settings and nutrition assistance programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

There is no doubt obesity, and its rising prevalence, needs to be the focus of national health campaigns. But changing the trend will take years. Individuals can take responsibility for their own health now by changing their lifestyles. For those who are severely or morbidly obese, bariatric surgery may be an option. Recognizing the severity of the problem, many insurance companies now cover bariatric surgery for weight loss.

Bariatric surgery is the most effective option to cure morbid obesity. Research has shown most bariatric patients with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure or sleep apnea experienced improvement, or complete resolution after losing weight. To learn more about who qualifies for the surgery, and its risks and benefits, you can attend a free seminar at St. Mary’s Medical Center. Go to bariatrickc.com or call the Bariatric Nurse Navigator at 816-655-5560.