physical activity and good nutrition - essential elements to prevent chronic diseases and obesity

7/29/2019 Physical Activity and Good Nutrition - Essential Elements to Prevent Chronic Diseases and Obesity

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Physic a l Ac tivity a nd G ood Nutrition:Esse ntia l Ele m e nts to

Pre ve nt C hronic Dise a se s a nd O be sity2002

At least one-third of all cancers are attributable to poor diet, physical inactivity, and overweight. Thus, if our

goal of reducing cancer incidence by 25% in the United States by 2015 is to be reached, cancer prevention efforts

must include strong programs for healthy eating and physical activity. Such programs will also help to reduce the

incidence of many other chronic diseases.

Dileep G. Bal, MD, MS, MPH

Past President, American Cancer Society

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

CENTERSFOR DISEASE CONTROLAND PREVENTION

SAFER HEALTHIER PEOPLE

AT A GLANCE

CDC Funding for Physical Activity and Nutrition Programsto Address Chronic Diseases and Obesity,

Fiscal Year 2001

Funded

States:

CACOCTFL

MAMIMTNCPARITXWA


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The Importance of Physical Activity and Good Nutrition

Chronic diseases account for 7 of every 10 U.S. deathsand for more than 60% of medical care expenditures.In addition, the prolonged illness and disabilityassociated with many chronic diseases decrease qualityof life for millions of Americans.

Much of the chronic disease burden is preventable.Physical inactivity and unhealthy eating contribute toobesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes.Together, they are responsible for at least 300,000deaths each year. Only tobacco use causes morepreventable deaths in the United States. People whoavoid the behaviors that increase their risk for chronicdiseases can expect to live healthier and longer lives.

The Obesity Epidemic

Following dramatic increases in overweight and obesity

among U.S. adults between 1987 and 2000, obesity hasreached epidemic proportions; over 45 million adultsare obese. Moreover, the epidemic is not limited toadults: the percentage of young people who areoverweight has more than doubled in the last 20 years.From 10% to 15% of Americans aged 617 yearsabout 8 million young peopleare consideredoverweight.

People who are overweight are at increased risk forheart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis-related disabilities, and some cancers. The estimatedannual cost of obesity and overweight in the UnitedStates is about $117 billion.

Promoting regular physical activity and healthy eatingand creating an environment that supports thesebehaviors are essential to reduce the epidemic ofobesity.

Lack of Physical Activity

Regular physical activity substantially reduces the riskof dying of coronary heart disease, the nations leadingcause of death, and decreases the risk for colon cancer,diabetes, and high blood pressure. It also helps tocontrol weight; contributes to healthy bones, muscles,and joints; reduces falls among the elderly; helps torelieve the pain of arthritis; reduces symptoms ofanxiety and depression; and is associated with fewerhospitalizations, physician visits, and medications.Moreover, physical activity need not be strenuous to bebeneficial; people of all ages benefit from moderatephysical activity, such as 30 minutes of brisk walkingfive or more times a week.

Despite the proven benefits of physical activity, morethan 60% of American adults do not get enoughphysical activity to provide health benefits. More than25% are not active at all in their leisure time. Activitydecreases with age and is less common among women

than men and among those with lower income andless education.

Insufficient physical activity is not limited to adults.More than a third of young people in grades 912 donot regularly engage in vigorous physical activity. Dailyparticipation in high school physical education classesdropped from 42% in 1991 to 29% in 1999.

The Critical Role of Healthy Eating

We now know that good nutrition lowers the risk formany chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke,

some types of cancer, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Forexample, for at least 10 million Americans at risk fortype II diabetes, proper nutrition and physical activitycan sharply lower their chances of getting the disease.

Although Americans are slowly adopting healthierdiets, a large gap remains between recommendeddietary patterns and what Americans actually eat.Only about one-fourth of U.S. adults eat therecommended five or more servings of fruits andvegetables each day.

Poor eating habits are often established during

childhood. More than 60% of young people eat toomuch fat, and less than 20% eat the recommended fiveor more servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Percentage of Adults Who Reported EatingFewer Than Five Servings of Fruits and

Vegetables a Day, by Sex, 2000

Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Men Women Total

Percent

81%

73%77%


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In fiscal year 2001, Congress appropriated $16.2million to address physical inactivity, poor nutrition,and obesity. These funds allowed CDC to fund 12states to plan for and initiate nutrition and physical

activity programs to help prevent and control obesityand other chronic diseases. With fiscal year 2002funding of $27.5 million, CDC will help to expandthese programs and will support research to increasephysical activity and improve nutrition in states andcommunities.

Understanding the Benefitsof Physical Activity

CDCs landmark Physical Activity and Health: A Reportof the Surgeon General, published in 1996, broughttogether the results of decades of research on physicalactivity and health. Among its findings were thatphysical activity need not be strenuous to producebenefits and that inactive people can improve theirhealth by becoming moderately active on a regularbasis. The implications of these findings compel CDC toensure that physical activity receives the attention andcommitment given to other important public healthissues.

CDCs National Leadership

Expanding the Knowledge Base

CDC research is strengthening knowledge of the roleof physical activity and nutrition in health.

A CDC analysis of data from the Bogalusa,Louisiana, heart study found that overweight andobesity among children aged 517 years had morethan tripled from 1973 to 1994. Moreover, 58% ofthe overweight children had at least oneadditional risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Through CDCs Prevention Research Centersnetwork, CDC and the National Institutes ofHealth developed better methods to measurephysical activity levels among minority and low-income women older than 40.

CDC is collecting information to betterunderstand factors that affect levels of walking andcycling. The GreenStyles Survey, developed byCDC and the Environmental Protection Agency,assesses the effects of environmental, social, andpersonal variables on walking and cycling. CDC isalso working with partners to collect informationon how bike paths and sidewalks affect rates ofphysical activity.

Percentage of Adults Who Report Being Obese,* by State

*Body mass index 30 or about 30 pounds overweight for a 54 person.Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

19951991

2000

No data

available

15%19%


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In 2001, CDC released the physical activitychapter in the Guide to Community PreventiveServices. The Guide is based upon a review ofstudies in several different areas by the Task Forceon Community Preventive Services and providesscience-based strategies to increase physicalactivity among children and adults.

Reaching Young People Through Schools

CDC has established a nationwide framework forcoordinated health education programs in schools.Inactivity and unhealthy diets are among the riskbehaviors that these programs address. CDC has alsocollaborated with national health and educationorganizations to develop guidelines and materials tohelp schools promote healthy eating and physicalactivity.

CDCs KidsWalk-to-School Program encourages

children to walk to and from school in groupsaccompanied by adults. Walking to school helpschildren be more physically active, practice safepedestrian skills, and learn about their environment.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

Since the 1950s, the infrastructure to support walkingand bicycling in the United States has beenneglected. Trips made by walking or cycling havedeclined by more than 40% since 1977. CDCs ActiveCommunity Environments (ACEs) initiative workswith partners to promote the development of

accessible recreation facilities, including moreopportunities for walking and cycling. Currentprojects include

A partnership with the National Park ServicesRivers, Trails, and Conservation AssistanceProgram to promote the development and use ofneighborhood parks and recreation facilities.

The development of a guidebook for public healthpractitioners to use in partnering withtransportation and city-planning organizations topromote walking, cycling, and neighborhood

recreation facilities.

The National 5-A-Day program, launched 10 yearsago, is implementing recommendations from a recent

comprehensive review. The most significantrecommendations were to strengthen and expand theorganizational structure of this program to include newpartners, and to support research, surveillance, andapplied public health programs to increase vegetableand fruit consumption. The National Cancer Institute,the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and CDC arecurrently defining the roles and responsibilities of each

partner in the new model.

CDC and its partners have developed the HHSBlueprint for Action on Breast-Feeding, whichestablishes a comprehensive national breast-feedingpolicy. Breast-feeding protects against obesity andincreases the acceptability of fruits and vegetablesamong infants.

The DHHS Office on Womens Health, CDC, and theNational Osteoporosis Foundation have launched theNational Bone Health campaign to educate andencourage girls ages 912 years to establish lifelonghealthy habits, especially increased calciumconsumption and physical activity, that will helpreduce their risk for osteoporosis later in life.

Promoting the Use of Growth Charts

In 2000, CDC released new pediatric growth chartsthat better reflect the nations diversity. In addition torevising the existing charts, which are used to trackgrowth, CDC added two body-mass-index (BMI)- for-age charts to help health professionals identify weightproblems among children and adolescents.

CDC is providing access to interactive trainingmodules and resources through the Internet(www.cdc.gov/growthcharts) to help users interpretthe growth charts. Module topics include an overviewof the growth charts, use of the BMI-for-age charts,and clinical application of the growth charts.

Planning for the Future

CDC will continue to work with its public healthpartners to create or modify programs, policies, andpractices that support healthy lifestyles. In addition,

CDC is striving to expand health communications topromote physical activity and good nutrition in worksites, schools, and health care settings.

For more information or additional copies of this document, please contact theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention,

National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Mail Stop K46,4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341-3717,

Telephone (770) 488-5820; Fax (770) [email protected] www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa

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