NurseWeek

Surgeon General says cut high cost of fat

By Tim Bergling
Health24News
October 21, 2000


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Washington (H24N). Obesity is threatening the health – and the pocketbooks – of more Americans than ever before, according to U.S. Surgeon General David Satcher, MD.

In what was termed a "very serious wakeup call," Satcher told the gathering at the Institute of Medicine’s 30^th Annual Meeting that the number of obese and overweight Americans has ballooned since the early 1990s. Satcher said that has led to a 30 percent increase in type 2 diabetes. The battle of the bulge has also been associated with high blood pressure, cancer, heart disease and premature death.

Besides taking its toll on health, the increase is also pinching wallets nationwide, to the tune of $100 billion in direct or indirect costs, such as $33 million on diet pills alone, to missed or restricted workdays that number in the hundreds of millions.

As many as 55 percent of adults nationwide are overweight, and more than 22 percent of those adults are struggling with obesity; men outnumber women in the overweight population--51 million to 47 million – though the statistics show overweight women are more likely to become obese than men. Satcher said doctors are beginning to report cases of obese children as young as 10 years old, which is virtually unprecedented.

While experts say genetics may in some cases create a predisposition for extra pounds, most of the increase can be traced to other factors, like fast-food consumption and a lack of physical activity. They say children are especially at risk, since they are constantly exposed to advertising that touts high-fat food. Thousands of schools have deals with fast food outlets to provide school meals, or deals with soft drink manufacturers that make high calorie sodas available inside schools themselves.

Many at the conference suggested banning those fast foods and soft drinks from schools, and regulating ads aimed at young people. Government subsidies to supply healthier foods were also discussed, as was encouraging Americans to pursue healthier habits that include more exercise and a better diet.