With only 35 percent of Floridians at a healthy weight, urgency is needed to address the state’s weight challenge, the State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong said Wednesday.
Florida now has the 12th healthiest weight in the nation, up from a previous rank of 19th, according to a report entitled: F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2013, just released by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
“Florida is making progress relative to other states, yet sustained effort is essential to bend the weight curve. The Healthiest Weight Florida initiative intends to secure a healthier future for Florida’s children, adults, families, businesses, and communities,” said Armstrong.
According to the report, Florida’s obesity rate for baby boomers is almost 31 percent while the rate for seniors in Florida is just under 23 percent. The obesity rate among young adults (18-to 25-year-olds) in Florida is nearly 15 percent.
The Healthiest Weight Florida initiative focuses on collaboration across state agencies, local not-for-profits, private organizations and others to help people make more informed choices about healthy nutrition and physical activity. Through partnerships, the initiative promotes community-based strategies to improve school, workplace, food and beverage, physical activity, and messaging environments.
The F as in Fat report calls for the expansion of policies at every level to support healthy choices and for increased investment in prevention. The report acknowledges that at current rates the estimated ongoing costs to the healthcare system are unsustainable. On Florida’s current trend, the costs of care for four chronic diseases from obesity alone—diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and arthritis—are estimated to be $34B over the next 17 years.
To learn more about this collaborative statewide effort, visit www.HealthiestWeightFL.org.
