Oklahoma ranks 45th in the nation in the overall health of its citizens. Many of the diseases that cause early, preventable deaths are obesity-related (heart disease, stroke, diabetes).

Oklahoma is the only state whose death rate has been increasing since 1990, and the state ranks 46th in funding for public health and prevention programs.

One out of two adult Oklahomans is overweight, one out of five is obese. (Source: Chronic Disease Service, Oklahoma State Department of Health, Winter 2002. Based on results of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.)

	We have an unhealthy workforce and it is recognized by corporate America. Dr. Gordon Deckert Member of the Oklahoma Board of Health at the Oklahoma Turning Point Forum Press Conference, December 5, 2003

Health and vitality are key to economic prosperity.

Available data defines Oklahoma’s workforce as “unhealthy” in the eyes of many businesses looking to expand or relocate.

An unhealthy population is unproductive and expensive -- with high absenteeism, health insurance costs and lower academic achievement.

An estimated 1.5 million Oklahoma adults are overweight and of those, 500,000 are obese.

Reflecting national trends, obesity grew dramatically in Oklahoma from 1990 to 2000 -- up from 11.6% to 19.7%. A total of 62 Oklahoma counties exceed the national 2010 health objective of reducing obesity to 15%. (Four are below and for 11, there was insufficient data.)

	Oklahoma ranks 15th in diabetes deaths. (Source: Oklahoma State Department of Health)

Little data is currently available on child obesity in Oklahoma. The best insight into our general statewide challenge probably comes from Texas.

A recent study conducted for the Texas State Department of Health measured 4th and 8th graders statewide and found:

	39% of Texas 4th graders are overweight or obese
	37% of Texas 8th graders are overweight or obese

Given our close proximity and demographic similarities, Oklahoma kids probably show similar percentages.

Federal dollars have allowed the 10-county Cheyenne / Arapaho Tribal Service area to monitor its youth population for obesity since 1999. Following is an overview:

	Measured BMI for 805 kids
	Clustered into “at risk for overweight” (85th-95th percentile) and overweight (95th percentile+)
	Compared 2003 data (where applicable) to previous studies done from 1999-2002
	Found high incidence of overweight (especially among teens) is growing

Findings

	45.5% of kids are overweight by BMI standards (almost half)
	Another 22% are at risk
	Only one-third fall in the normal range
	Not one child in the 13- to 15-year-old sample was in the normal range. (Mean BMI increases with age and peaks for both boys and girls at 14.)

Overweight

	71% of 13-year-olds
	73% of 14-year-olds
	54% of 15-year-olds

Boys were more apt to be overweight; girls more likely to be at risk of overweight.

81.4% of 14-year-old boys were overweight.

Overweight prevalence rate is 5% in the general population but among this group is 48.7% for males and 42.4% for females.

Females were more apt to be at risk for being overweight than males -- 26% overall versus 10% expected.

Half of 15-year-old girls were at risk. The proportion at risk (35.3%) for males, was highest in teen years -- at 15 years.

2003 data versus previous year's data (1999-2002): Prevalence of at risk for overweight remained constant but overweight increased significantly in 2003. It was higher for virtually every age group.

The biggest shift was in the teen years --13 to 15.