Although Colorado is often ranked as one of the leanest states in the nation, its obesity rates are climbing dramatically.
If current trends continue, two out of three Coloradans will be overweight or obese by 2017.
And your chances of being among that group are significantly greater if you did not graduate from high school or if you make less than $25,000 a year, according to a report issued today by The Colorado Health Foundation.
“Income, Education and Obesity: A Closer Look at Inequities in Colorado’s Obesity Problem” shows that the obesity epidemic hits hardest low-income families and people with less education.
The report found that these Coloradans have higher rates of obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and asthma than their middle- and upper-income counterparts.
The explanation for these differences is complex. Fresh produce and other nutritious foods are more expensive. Budget-strapped families often turn to cheaper food that’s often high in fat and empty calories, according to a 2004 study in “The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.”
When it comes to burning off those calories, many lower-income families cannot afford fitness programs or organized sports for their children. Their neighborhoods often do not have parks or community recreation centers to encourage exercise, or they may be perceived as too dangerous for children to play outside.
MARCH OF DIMES GIVES COLORADO ‘D’: The United States is failing hundreds of thousands of its youngest citizens on the day they are born, according to the March of Dimes. Colorado lags behind in preventing premature birth and urgently needs to take action to prevent more deaths and disabilities. In the first of what will be an annual Premature Birth Report Card, the nation received a “D” and not a single state earned an “A,” when the March of Dimes compared actual preterm birth rates to the national Healthy People 2010 objective. The grade of “D” indicates how far Colorado, with a preterm birth rate of 12.3, is from the Healthy People 2010 objective of 7.6 percent of all live births. The latest available data from 2005 shows that the national preterm birth rate is 12.7 percent. The only state to earn a “B” was Vermont. Eight states earned a “C,” 23 states earned a “D,” and 18 states plus Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia got failing grades of “F.” The purpose of the Petition and the Report Card is to raise public awareness of the growing crisis of preterm birth so elected and appointed officials will commit more resources to address this problem and policymakers will support development of strategies that benefit mothers and babies. Visit www.marchofdimes.com for more information.
MS SOCIETY GRANT: The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society has awarded a $44,000 grant to the University of Colorado at Denver Health Sciences Center and the University of Colorado Hospital MS Center to fund a novel MS rehabilitation-based treatment study that will investigate new ways to treat fatigue in people with MS using eye movement training, known as Vestibular Rehabilitation. Margaret Schenkman, PhD, will lead this research study to determine the possible benefits Vestibular Rehabilitation may have on standing and balance issues that contribute to feelings of fatigue within the MS population. For more information, call Jeff Hebert at 720-848-2029.
COMMUNITY HEALTH EXPO: The third annual “Our Health Matters” Community Health Expo will be held Saturday at 9:15 a.m. at Martin Luther King, Jr. Early College, 19535 E. 46th Ave. in Green Valley Ranch. The expo is a full day of free roundtable discussions and a community health expo that addresses the disproportionately high health and wellness issues of Montbello and Green Valley Ranch residents, particularly African-American and Spanish-speaking families. For more information or to RSVP, contact Tracy Williams at 303-671-0499 or Kelly Voorhees at 303-692-2658.
NEEDLE DISPOSAL: Hello, Hep C Connection, a non-profit organization in Denver serving Colorado residents who may be affected by the hepatitis C virus, announces a community collaborative event offering hypodermic needle disposal on Wednesday. Visit www.hepc-connection.org for more information.
MONTVIEW FLU VACCINATION: A flu vaccination clinic for Montview Elementary and staff is planned for today at 10 a.m. at Montview Elementary School, 2055 Moline St., in Aurora.
NEW FLU PSA: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and The Children’s Hospital has issued a television public service announcement warning residents about the dangers of influenza. People can receive the influenza vaccine now and still have immunity through the season, which generally ends in March. Visit www.immumnizecolorado.com for more information.
MEDICARE INFO SESSION: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will join dignitaries from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness of the tools and resources available to help beneficiaries and their caregivers make smart choices about Medicare health and drug coverage during this fall’s open enrollment period. State Health Insurance Assistance Program representatives will be on-site to help people with Medicare use these resources and to help individuals who cannot afford prescription drugs learn more about financial assistance available. The session takes place Monday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Centura Health Office in the Colorado Mills Center, Space 134 (Entrance #1, near Borders) at West Colfax and Indiana Street in Golden.
LUNG DISEASE SCREENINGS: The Integrated eHealth Program at the University of Colorado Hospital is sponsoring free lung screenings at the following Hospital Clinics: Tuesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at University Family Medicine – A.F. Williams, 3055 Roslyn St., Suite 110, in the Stapleton area, Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the University of Colorado Hospital’s Internal Medicine Garfield Clinic, 360 S. Garfield in the Cherry Creek area and Thursday, Nov. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the University of Colorado Hospital’s Internal Medicine Clinic, 5th floor of the Anschutz Outpatient Pavilion on the Anschutz Medical Campus. Visit copdehealth.org or call 720-848-7094 for more information.
MOTHER AND BABY PROGRAM: The Children’s Hospital and the University of Colorado Hospital announced yesterday the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) as an important first step toward the development of a preeminent maternal-fetal/neonatal medicine program to be located at The Children’s Hospital. The two organizations, which have each secured innovation, have provided services to mothers, babies, high-risk pregnancies and complex newborns for more than three decades. The newly signed LOI allows the two hospitals to explore the advancement of the existing mother-baby services to include a single mother-baby facility on the same campus while expanding on unique treatment options, therapies and programs.
BREAST CANCER RESEARCH AWARD: Jennifer Richer, PhD, associate professor of Pathology at the University of Colorado Denver and member of the University of Colorado Cancer Center Hormone Related Malignancies Program, has been awarded a Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Idea Award for her project, “MicroRNA-200c: A Novel Way to Attack Breast Cancer Metastases by Restoring the Epithelial Phenotype.”
UCD ADDS RENOWNED PHYSICIST: The University of Colorado Cancer Center’s (UCCC’s) Radiation Oncology Department has added renowned radiation oncology physicist Moyed Miften, PhD, to its staff. Miften joined UCCC on Oct. 15 as chief physicist and professor of Radiation Oncology at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine.
