Diabetes
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 1.5 million new cases of diabetes were diagnosed in people age 20 years or older in 2005. The total prevalence of diabetes in the United Stated for all ages in 2005 is seven percent of the total population, or 20.8 million, of which 14.6 million have been diagnosed, and another 6.2 million who are undiagnosed. In Randolph County, in 2004, 10.5 percent of the population had diabetes compared to 7.3 percent of all Missourians.
Rate of ER Visits with Diabetes as the Principal Diagnosis
As the graph above illustrates,there continues to be an increase in the number of ER visits that are due to diabetes.
Physical Activity / Obesity
During the past 20 years, obesity among adults has risen significantly in the United States. The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older -- over 60 million people -- are obese. This increase is not limited to adults. The percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980. Among children and teens age 6-19 years, 16 percent (over 9 million young people) are considered overweight. These increasing rates raise concern because of their implications for Americans' health. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of many diseases and health conditions, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke gallbladder disease and some cancers, among others. (Source: http://www. cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm) The health benefits of regular physical activity are well documented. Research has shown that it can help individuals control weight, control high blood pressure, reduce risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart attack, and colon cancer; reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety; reduce arthritis pain and disability; and reduce risk for osteoporosis and falls.
Healthy Lifestyle
In a recent government study, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that obesity is fast approaching tobacco as the top underlying preventable cause of death in the United States. Anyone with a body mass index (a ratio between your height and weight) of 25 or above -- that's someone, for example, who is 5-foot-4 and 145 pounds -- is considered overweight, according to the National Institutes of Health. Anyone with a body mass index of 30 or above -- such as someone who is 5-foot-6 and 186 pounds -- is considered obese. Like tobacco, obesity and inactivity increase the risks for the top three killers: heart disease, cancer and cerebrovascular ailments including strokes. Obesity and inactivity also strongly increase the risk of diabetes, the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. Smokers who successfully stop smoking reduce their potential medical costs associated with heart attack and stroke by about $47 during the first year and by about $853 during the following seven years. Pregnant women who smoke are more likely to have babies who have an increased risk of death from Sudden Infant Death syndrome and respiratory distress. They are also more likely to have low birth-weight babies; low birth weight is linked to many infant health disorders. Randolph County's rate for mothers smoking during pregnancy in 2005 was 28.2 compared to Missouri at 18.2
Obesity
"Thirty-four percent of U.S. adults are considered overweight, and an additional 31 percent are obese." - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Percent of Women who Smoke While Pregnant
In 2000, the leading cause of death in the United States was tobacco with 435 000 deaths (18.1% of total US deaths). Studies suggest that every dollar spent on stop-smoking programs for pregnant women could save $3 in neonatal intensive care costs.
2003 Health Risk Behaviors
Please refer to the links on the left for the Table of Contents.