The Economics of Obesity in Texas: One Year Later
Obese lifestyles remain one of the greatest threats to the health of Texans and the stability of their state economy.
About two-thirds of Texas’ adult population is overweight or obese. This fact startles health care professionals who battle subsequent ailments such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. But obesity also severely affects Texas employers who often foot the bill for employee health care and absenteeism.
In March 2007, Texas Comptroller Susan Combs released a report, Counting Costs and Calories: Measuring the Cost of Obesity, which underscored the impact that overweight and obese Texans have on the state economy. In 2005, according to the report, obese workers cost Texas employers an estimated $3.3 billion.
“Medicaid expenditures are significantly higher for obese kids,” Patterson says. “These kids are having more health problems, and as a result, their parents are missing work to go to the doctor. But the really scary part is the higher risk of diabetes and hypertension...”
– Dr. Patti Patterson, former Texas Commissioner of Health and professor of pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
Because most Texans who carry private insurance are covered through their employer, business owners feel a disproportionate ripple effect of the economics of obesity, largely in the form of higher health care premiums. In 2005, employers paid almost three-quarters the total cost of private health insurance.
In Texas, Medicare and Medicaid costs attributable to obese Texans are more than $5 billion annually.
One Year Later
Combs’ report caught the eye of national media and researchers who often cite it as a call to action for parents and school officials, encouraging them to integrate healthier food options and increased physical activity into the lifestyles of Texas children.
The U.S. Surgeon General’s Office reports that overweight children have a 70 percent chance of becoming overweight or obese adults. As a result, researchers largely agree that the forefront battle against obesity starts with lifestyle habits and education during childhood.
Dr. Patti Patterson, a professor of pediatrics at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center who has previously served as commissioner of the Texas Department of Health, says many school officials across the state are implementing healthier school lunch menus alongside more comprehensive physical education programs as a result of increased awareness of the trappings of obesity.
“A lot of the changes we’re seeing are the result of not only last year’s report, but Susan Combs’ efforts as Texas agriculture commissioner, where she worked to improve school lunches and push back against the sale of junk food on school grounds,” she says.
What Can You Do?
If you suspect your child is at risk of being overweight or obese:
- Encourage five daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Replace processed foods that are high in fat and calories with more natural selections.
- Avoid “parenting by Twinkies.” Reward systems based on unhealthy foods as prizes for desired behavior encourage bad habits later in life.
- Limit consumption of soft drinks. Substitute water and milk for beverages high in sugar.
- Limit TV, video game and computer time to fewer than 2 hours per day. A direct correlation exists between screen time and obesity.
- Encourage family activities that promote movement. Even low-impact movement burns calories and builds muscle mass.
- Eat at home while limiting fast food. Meals prepared at home are usually many times healthier than take-out and fast food.
The habits of children often exist throughout the whole family, Dr. Patterson says. The key to a healthier family starts with small steps and finding fun ways to implement healthier habits.
Obesity Report
Prevalence of Texas children who were overweight or at risk of being so.
| Grade | Overweight | At risk of being overweight | Total overweight and at risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4th grade | 23% | 19% | 42% |
| 8th grade | 20% | 19% | 39% |
| 11th grade | 19% | 17% | 36% |
Source: UT School of Public Health, 2004-2005 (Latest data available)
In addition, Combs recently announced a plan that offered Texas schools access to $20 million in funding to support in-school physical education, nutrition and fitness programs for students in grades 6 through 8 where enrollment is at least 75 percent economically disadvantaged.
The Texas Fitness Now grant program aims to foster academic environments in Texas middle schools that encourage healthy lifestyle habits that will last into adulthood. Dollars awarded to schools can be used to buy PE equipment, progress-tracking devices such as heart monitors and pedometers, as well as instructional materials. In addition, 25 percent of the funds must be used to teach nutrition education.
To date, more than 250,000 Texas students from 605 schools have participated in the program.
Not A Moment Too Soon
In 2005, more than half of Texans aged 18 to 29 were overweight or obese, with those rates climbing with age. Those aged 30 to 44 registered a prevalence of 67.3 percent, and of those Texans aged 45 to 64, 71.3 percent were overweight or obese.
Medical researchers and economists are hoping Texas parents and educators will keep momentum on the push toward healthier lifestyles, not just for the sake of the overall health of Texans, but also for the state economy.
“Medicaid expenditures are significantly higher for obese kids,” Patterson says. “These kids are having more health problems, and as a result, their parents are missing work to go to the doctor. But the really scary part is the higher risk of diabetes and hypertension, which results not only in poor health later in life but also greater economic costs.”
Fast Food Culture, Sedentary Lifestyles
While the direct causes of obesity are not widely understood and likely caused by varying combinations of several factors, Patterson points to more parents and schools choosing foods that offer convenience and speed over nutrition, which combined with additional screen time in front of television and video games, creates a perfect storm of poor health.
“We’re also seeing more prevalent numbers of obesity in rural areas, where families often still eat like farmhands with menus of fatty, filling foods, despite the integration of technology that has reduced their physical activity out in the field,” she says. “Poverty is also a high risk factor, which might explain why many inner-city children, as well as rural kids, are at a higher risk of obesity and its related ailments.”
By the year 2025, the Comptroller projects that almost half of Texas adults will be obese and only about 14 percent will be of normal weight, which could result in Texas businesses paying more than $15 billion annually, prompting immediate action to help curtail the health and economic effects. FN
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