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605 - Improve Health and Wellness of the Residents of Washington
Situation: It is estimated that individual behaviors and environmental factors are responsible for about 70% of all premature deaths in the United States (Surgeon General’s Report: Healthy People 2010). Among the factors that impact the nation’s health are smoking, physical inactivity, poor food choices, overweight and obesity. These factors have been linked to increased rates of the leading chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
In the US, 30% of all adults 20 years of age and older (60 million adults) are obese. Additionally, the number of youth that are obese has more than tripled since 1980. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) estimates that 16% of youth between the ages of 6 and 19 are now overweight or obese. The number of overweight children, adolescents, and adults has risen over the past four decades. Total cost (medical costs and lost productivity) attributable to obesity alone is estimated at $99 billion annually (1995 data, CDCP). Chronic disease problems are exacerbated by the fact that nearly one-half of all American adults (90 million) have difficulty understanding and using health information (Institute of Medicine, Health and Literacy: A Prescription to End Confusion), including nutrition guidelines.
Sub-Goals:
5.1 Promote healthy weight through holistic approaches that address complex issues such as food choice, physical activity, family and workplace support, community environments, and other factors that impact health.
5.2 Increase health literacy and knowledge about the prevention and management of chronic diseases.
5.3 Reduce rates of food insecurity and hunger in Washington communities.
5.4 Reduce food-borne illness and death resulting from food contamination and poor food handling or improper processing.
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