Texas, Childhood Obesity, and

Health Reform

CHILDHOOD OBESITY ON THE RISE 1

In the United States, the Rise in Obesity for 6-19 year olds 1980-2008 2
prevalence of obesity among 25.00%
children and adolescents has
increased similar to the
prevalence in the adult
20.00%
population.

Obesity is affected by genetic, 15.00%

behavioral, and environmental
factors. Childhood obesity has
both immediate and long-term 10.00%
health impacts. Since, obese
children are more likely than 6-11 year
olds
children of normal weight to 5.00%
become overweight or obese 12-19 year
adults, the health consequences olds
follow them for a lifetime.
0.00%
1980 2008
Obese youth have increased risk
for:
 High blood pressure Obesity rates in children have been increasing at a consistent and
 High cholesterol high rate. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11
 Bone and Joint Problems years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. Additionally,
the prevalence of obesity among adolescents aged 12 to 19 years
 Sleep Apnea
increased from 5.0% to 18.1%.
 Stigmatization and Poor
self-esteem

WAYS TO REDUCE CHILDHOOD OBESITY3

Healthy lifestyle habits, including healthy eating and physical activity, can lower the risk of becoming
obese and developing related diseases. Ways to promote physical activity in youth include:
 Provide time for both structured and unstructured physical activity during school and outside of
school.
 Provide youth with positive feedback and good role models.
 Promote activities that set the basis for a lifetime of activity.

Issue Area, Obesity: Texas Page 1 of 3

National Coalition on Health Care July 2010
 TEXAS AND OBESITY

Percent of Obese Children in Texas, 2003-2007 4

35

30 The prevalence of childhood

25 obesity almost doubled
in Texas between 2003 and 2005
20 (19.1% to 32.4%). Fortunately, that
15 increase was not duplicated in the
Percentage of interval between 2005 and 2007,
10
Obese Children and the percentage of obese
5 children essentially stayed the
same (32.4% to 32.2%).
0
2003 2005 2007

Prevalence of Physical Activities Among Adolescents in High School (Grades 9–12)

U.S. and Texas, 2009 5
U.S (median) Texas
Active (at least 60 min) ≥ 5 days/wk 44% 46.6%
No Vigorous or Moderate Physical Activity 16.1% 16%
Spent ≥ 3hrs watching TV (not for school purposes) 30.8% 36.3%
Spent ≥ 3hrs using computer (not for school purposes) 23.5% 25.1%

This data shows that Texas teens were above the national average in regard to having 60 minutes of
aerobic activity five or more days a week and equal to the national average when it came to not getting
any or moderate physical activity. Additionally Arizona teens were above the average when it came to
spending on average 3 or more hours a day playing video/games, using a computer and time spent
watching television (not for school work). 6
RECENT STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS COMBATING OBESITY

STATE REFORM

STATE REFORM

The Patient 1. Posting Nutritional Content:

Protection and - By March 2011, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) must
Affordable Care publish regulations requiring all chain restaurants, which have 20 or more
Act (ACA)7 - locations operating under the same name, to disclose the nutritional content
Federal of all menu items. ACA requires that all menus disclose the number of
calories for each menu item and include a statement regarding the

Issue Area, Obesity: Texas Page 2 of 3

National Coalition on Health Care July 2010
 suggested daily caloric intake.
2. Wellness Discounts for Employees
- Starting January 1, 2014, ACA permits group health plans to give reductions
of up to 30% of the cost of premiums to employees who participate in
wellness programs, which includes employees who refrain from smoking,
maintain a healthy weight, and keep their blood pressure and cholesterol
levels low. The Secretary of HHS may expand the reductions to 50%.
3. Prevention and Public Health Fund
- ACA creates a Health Fund to fund preventive and public health initiatives.
On June 18, 2010 HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that "$126
million will support prevention initiatives; the integration of primary care
services into publicly funded community-based behavioral health settings;
obesity prevention and fitness; and tobacco cessation."8
4. Prevention Council
- ACA establishes the National Prevention, Health Promotion and Public
Health Council (“The Council”). The Council will coordinate prevention,
wellness, and health promotion practices at the federal level and issue
recommendations to the President and Congress regarding their views on
the most pressing obstacles to reducing sedentary lifestyles and poor
nutrition.

1
CTRS. FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, NATIONAL CENTER FOR CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION, Childhood Obesity (2009).
available at http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/ (last accessed July 2010).
2
Ibid.
3
CTRS. FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION, 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans Fact Sheet for Health Professionals on Physical
Activity Guidelines for Children and Adolescents (2008) available at
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/PA_Fact_Sheet_Children.pdf (last accessed July 2010).
4
NAT'L CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES Childhood Overweight and Obesity Trends available at http://www.ncsl.org/?tabid=13877 (last
accessed July 2010).
5
CTRS. FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEILLANCE — UNITED STATES 2009, Surveillance Summaries (2010) MMWR
2009;59 (No. SS-5) available at http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/ss/ss5905.pdf (last accessed July 2010).
6
Ibid.
7
Unless otherwise noted, the information found in this section is from: MERCEDES VARASTEH DORDESKI, AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION SAVES A POUND
OF CURE: A SUMMARY OF PPACA’S WELLNESS AND PREVENTION REFORMS, (2010), available at
http://www.abanet.org/health/esource/Volume6/09/Dordeski.html (last accessed June 2010).
8
U.S. DEP'T OF HEALTH AND HUMAN RESOURCES, Sebelius Announces New $250 Million Investment to Lay Foundation for Prevention and Public
Health (June 18, 2010), available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/06/20100618g.html (last accessed June 2010).

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National Coalition on Health Care July 2010