More than a Health Problem: The Obesity Epidemic
Childhood obesity is an epidemic. The number of overweight or obese children in America has tripled in the last twenty years. Children are not getting the exercise they need and high-fat, high-sugar diets are the norm.
Overweight kids are beginning to develop diseases once considered to be “adult diseases” including type 2 diabetes, respiratory problems, sleep apnea, and depression. For the first time in history, American children could have a shorter lifespan than their parents. The bottom line - our children are at risk.
This Trend Affects us All
The effects of the childhood obesity epidemic are not limited to the obese population. This alarming trend touches us all. The national cost of obesity is approximately $45 billion per year and researchers predict obesity related health care spending to top $956 billion by 2030. But the economic strain will pale in comparison to the public health crisis this country will face. Because overweight children have an 80% chance of becoming overweight adults, an already strained health care system will be pushed to the breaking point dealing with an explosion of weight related illness including type 2 diabetes, Coronary Hear t Disease (CHD), asthma, liver failure, and bone and joint problems.
Your Ideas Can Help Make a Difference
There is no single answer to this complex problem. So WPS is turning to you – we want your take on the solution to this problem. Please fill out the online form to the right. We welcome all ideas and will use your responses to generate a community action plan. Together we can make a difference. Together we can end childhood obesity.
Sources: The Washington Post, Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Ivanhoe Medical Breakthroughs, Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
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| Frightening Facts |
- Soft-drink consumption has increased 300% in 20 years.
- One-four th of all vegetables eaten in the U.S. are french fries or chips.
- Two percent of U.S. children eat a healthy diet as def ined by the USDA.
- Americans consume 20% more calories than a generation ago.
- Overweight/obese children are 80% more likely to become overweight/obese adults.
- Obesity is more dangerous to a person’s health than smoking cigarettes.
Source: Washington Post
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| Committed to Our Community |
WPS Health Insurance is a not-for-profit company, and we’ve been deeply involved in helping the communities we serve for over 60 years. We provide health insurance to more than a quarter million members in Wisconsin and nearly 10 million seniors through our Medicare division. The WPS TRICARE division proudly serves more than 4.5 million members of the U.S. military and their
families. We are commit ted to the health and wellbeing of our friends and neighbors in Wisconsin and beyond.
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