Health Indicator Report of Obesity Among Adults

Obesity in the U.S. and in Utah continue to increase, although the increase in rates may be beginning to level off.

Notes

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. BMI is calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters. In 2016, Utah BRFSS modified its methodology for age adjustment to align with U.S. age adjustment.   [[br]]Age-adjusted to U.S. 2000 standard population.[[br]] [[br]]U.S. data does not include U.S. territories, but does include Dist. of Columbia.[[br]] [[br]] Beginning in 2011, BRFSS data include both landline and cell phone respondent data along with a new weighting methodology called iterative proportional fitting, or raking. Comparisons between 2011 and prior years should be made with caution. More details about these changes can be found at: [https://ibis.health.utah.gov/pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf].

Data Interpretation Issues

Height and weight are self-reported and are subject to being misreported. To reduce bias and more accurately represent population data, the BRFSS has changed survey methodology. In 2010, it began conducting surveys by cellular phone in addition to landline phones. It also adopted "iterative proportional fitting" (raking) as its weighting method. More details about these changes can be found at: [https://ibis.health.utah.gov/pdf/opha/resource/brfss/RakingImpact2011.pdf].

Definition

Percentage of respondents aged 18 years and older who have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m^2^ calculated from self-reported weight and height.

Numerator

Number of respondents aged 18 years and older who have a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m^2^ calculated from self-reported weight and height.

Denominator

Number of respondents aged 18 years and older for whom BMI can be calculated from their self-reported weight and height (excludes unknowns or refusals for weight and height).

Healthy People Objective NWS-9:

Reduce the proportion of adults who are obese
U.S. Target: 30.5 percent
State Target: 24.0 percent

How Are We Doing?

Since 2000, the age-adjusted percentage of Utah adults who were obese has increased from 19.5% in 2000 to 28.4% in 2018. Nevertheless, Utah still has a lower obesity rate than most states. According to a recent ''State of Obesity'' report, in 2018, Utah ranked 40th highest among the 50 states and the District of Columbia ([https://www.stateofobesity.org/adult-obesity]).

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The age-adjusted prevalence of obesity in Utah adults is slightly lower than the U.S. In 2018, the obesity prevalence rate in Utah adults was 28.4%, while the prevalence for U.S. adults was 31.1%.

What Is Being Done?

The Healthy Living through Environment, Policy, and Improved Clinical Care (EPICC) Program was established through funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The EPICC Program focuses on environmental approaches that promote health, specifically promoting policies around healthy eating and active living. The EPICC Program works: In Schools:[[br]] 1) Schools are encouraged to adopt the Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program. This framework encourages students to be physically active for 60 minutes a day through school, home, and community activities.[[br]] 2) Height and weight trends are being tracked in a sample of elementary students to monitor Utah students.[[br]] 3) Action for Healthy Kids brings partners together to improve nutrition and physical activity environments in Utah schools by implementing the school-based state plan strategies, working with local school boards to improve or develop policies for nutritious foods in schools. This includes recommendations for healthy vending options. In Worksites:[[br]] 1) The Utah Health Improvement Plan--a public and private partnership--has selected worksites as their priority for the goal of Preventing Obesity and Related Chronic Conditions. A smaller workgroup, UHIP-O, works to create a culture of health within businesses in the state of Utah. 2) The Utah Council for Worksite Health Promotion recognizes businesses that offer employee fitness and health promotion programs.[[br]] 3) The EPICC Program partners with local health departments to encourage worksites to complete the CDC Scorecard and participate in yearly health risk assessment for their employees. The EPICC Program provides toolkits and other resources for employers interested in implementing wellness programs through the [http://choosehealth.utah.gov choosehealth.utah.gov] website: [http://choosehealth.utah.gov/worksites/why-worksite-wellness.php]. -- In Communities:[[br]] 1) Local health departments (LHDs) receive federal funding to partner with schools, worksites, and other community-based organizations to increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables through food service guidelines, farmers markets, and retail stores. LHDs also work with cities within their jurisdictions to create a built environment that encourages physical activity. In Healthcare:[[br]] 1) The EPICC Program works with health care systems to establish community clinical linkages to support individuals at risk for or diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension to engage in lifestyle change programs such as chronic disease self-management and diabetes prevention programs. In Childcare:[[br]] 1) Ten LHDs statewide have implemented the TOP Star program, which aims to improve the nutrition, physical activity, and breastfeeding environments and achieve best practice in child care centers and homes.[[br]] 2) The EPICC Program works with state and local partners through the Childcare Obesity Prevention workgroup to implement policy and systems changes in early care and education across agencies statewide.

Evidence-based Practices

The EPICC Program promotes evidence-based practices collected by the Center for Training and Research Translation (Center TRT). The Center TRT bridges the gap between research and practice and supports the efforts of public health practitioners working in nutrition, physical activity, and obesity prevention by: *Reviewing evidence of public health impact and disseminating population-level interventions; *Designing and providing practice-relevant training both in-person and web-based; *Addressing social determinants of health and health equity through training and translation efforts; and, *Providing guidance on evaluating policies and programs aimed at impacting healthy eating and physical activity. [[br]] Appropriate evidence-based interventions can be found at: [http://www.centertrt.org/?p=interventions_interventions_overview]

Available Services

Action for Healthy Kids Local School Policy CD - for more information, call 801-538-6142. The Utah Department of Health houses the Healthy Living through Environment, Policy and Improved Clinical Care (EPICC) Program. The EPICC website has information on healthy living, including prevention of diabetes, heart disease, and stroke on [http://www.choosehealth.utah.gov]. The Utah Worksite Wellness Council is a non-profit organization made up of volunteers from organizations across Utah. Information is available at [http://utahworksitewellness.org].