Colorado, 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%
children and adolescents has
increased similar to the
prevalence in the adult 20%
population.

Obesity is affected by genetic, 15%

behavioral, and environmental
factors. Childhood obesity has
10%
both immediate and long-term
6-11 year
health impacts. Since, obese olds
children are more likely than
5%
children of normal weight to 12-19 year
become overweight or obese olds
adults, the health consequences 0%
follow them for a lifetime.
1980 2008

Obese youth have increased risk

for:
Obesity rates in children have been increasing at a consistent and
 High blood pressure high rate. The prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11
 High cholesterol years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6% in 2008. Additionally,
 Bone and Joint Problems 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: Colorado Page 1 of 3

National Coalition on Health Care July 2010
 COLORADO AND OBESITY
Weight Status of Children Ages 2-14 in Colorado, 2008 4
Fortunately, according to the Colorado
Child Health Survey, from 2004 through
11.1% 13.6% 2008, the prevalence of overweight and
obese children aged 2–14 years remained
stable in Colorado. As seen in Figure 2,
the majority (60.2%) of children 2-14 years
15.1% of age were of normal weight; 15.1% of
children were overweight; 13.6 percent
were obese while 11.1% were
underweight. The prevalence of obesity
60.2% Obese for male and female children was not
Overweight significantly different (14.4 and 12.1%
respectively).
Normal Weight

Underweight

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

U.S. and Colorado, 2009 5
U.S (median) Colorado
Active (at least 60 min) ≥ 5 days/wk 44% 47%
No Vigorous or Moderate Physical Activity 16.1% 11.3%
Spent ≥ 3hrs watching TV (not for school purposes) 30.8% 25.1%
Spent ≥ 3hrs using computer (not for school purposes) 23.5% 18.4%

This data shows that Colorado teens were above the national average in regard to having 60 minutes of
aerobic activity five or more days a week and below the national average when it came to not getting any
or moderate physical activity. Additionally Colorado teens were below the average when it came to
spending on average 3 or more hours a day playing video/games, using a computer or 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

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National Coalition on Health Care July 2010
 for each menu item and include a statement regarding the 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
COLORADO DEP'T OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ENV'T, The Weight of the State: 2009 Report on Overweight and Obesity in Colorado
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/pp/copan/ObesityReport.pdf (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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