Health Benefits
In 2007, 36% of Chattanooga metro area residents were reported as overweight and 28% as obese. Obesity is linked to many health problems including coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and some cancers. According to the United Health Foundation’s America’s Heath Ranking, Tennessee consistently holds one of the bottom five spots in the nation and obesity trends are still increasing at an alarming rate. Physical inactivity is one of the culprits in the obesity epidemic. In 2007, sixty-three percent of Chattanoogans were not getting the recommended amount of physical activity. The Bicycling and Walking in the United States: 2010 Benchmarking Report made the linkage that while bicycling and walking levels fell 67% between 1960 and 2000, obesity levels increased by 241%. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), policy and environmental change initiatives that make healthy choices in nutrition and physical activity available, affordable, and easy will likely prove most effective in combating obesity. ALTN is committed to furthering such initiatives in Chattanooga.
Costs of Obesity and Physical Inactivity
- Obesity has risen to almost 10% of all medical spending. (1)
- Obesity cost estimated at $147 billion in 2008. (1)
- Medical care for obese persons cost nearly $1,500 (42%) more in 2006 than costs for normal weight people. (1)
- 39 million work days are lost each year to obesity-related problems. (2)
- In 2000, health care costs associated with physical inactivity were more than $76 billion. (3)
- Physical inactivity is costing Hamilton County an estimated $225,307,423 per year. That’s about $948 per person.(4)
• $964,594 in Worker’s Comp Costs.
• $185,695,660 in Lost Productivity Cost.
- If 5% more persons in Hamilton County became active, $11 million would be saved. (4)
- If 10% of adults began a regular walking program, $5.6 billion in heart disease costs could be saved. (5)
- A sustained 10% weight loss will reduce an overweight person’s lifetime medical costs by $2,200–$5,300 by lowering costs associated with hypertension, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and high cholesterol. (5)
Sources:
- Finkelstein et al., 2009.
- Thorpe KE, Florence CS, Howard DH, Joski P. The impact of obesity on rising medical spending. Health Aff. 2004;W4:480-6.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Surgeon General. The power of prevention, steps to a healthier US: A program and policy perspective. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2003.
- Chattanooga-Hamilton County Health Department, Step ONE program.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Percentage of Obese (BMI > 30) U.S. Adults: 1985-2007
Benefits
There are many benefits to living an active life. Follow the links to find out more.
Contact
For more information on ALTN projects or to request a presentation or schedule the mobile bicycle fleet for your worksite or group:
- E-mail: info@activelivingtn.org
- Phone: (423) 643-6887
- Mailing: 200 River St. Chattanooga, TN 37405