Overweight and Obesity
Date Updated: 08/24/2011
- Percentage of Obese Residents - US, Colorado & Larimer County, 2003-2004 to 2009-2010
- Percentage of Overweight and Obese by Age Group - Larimer County, 2009-10
- Percentage of Overweight and Obese by Gender - Larimer County, 2009-10
- Percentage of Overweight and Obese by Income Level - Larimer County, 2009-10
People are considered overweight if they have a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or over, and obese if they have a BMI of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated by multiplying your weight in pounds by 703 divided by your height (in inches)2. BMI calculators are available online that can quickly calculate your BMI. The data used in this report is from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) reported by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The information is gathered via ongoing monthly telephone surveys, and as such, is self-reported.
According to the report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future (August 2011), obesity-related medical costs total $150 billion a year.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has an interactive map available that shows the obesity epidemic progression beginning in 1985.
What this chart shows: Percentage of Obese Residents (BMI > 30) in Colorado & Larimer County, 2003-2004 to 2009-2010
Data Source: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
What the above data tell us:
During the period between 2003-2004 and 2009-2010, Larimer County experienced a 60.3% increase in the number of obese residents. Extended to the general population, there were nearly 59,000 obese persons county-wide as of 2010.For both the state and the county, the trend is for more residents to be obese. Beginning in 2007-2008, Larimer County no longer met the Healthy People 2010 objective of 15.0% or fewer obese residents.
Nationwide, the increase in obesity rates is attributed to several factors:
- Americans are consuming, on average, 300 more calories daily than we were 25 years ago and these calories tend to be of less nutritious food;
- Nutritious food is considerably more expensive than less nutritious, calorie-dense foods like potato chips;
- Americans are walking less and driving more - even for relatively short trips;
- In some communities, parks and recreation spaces are not considered safe or well-maintained;
- School lunches tend not to meet nutrition standards and children are engaged in less physical activities in school;
- More children are spending an increased amount of time in front of a screen and less time participating in physical activities; and
- Adults are often working longer hours and commuting longer distances.
What this chart shows: Percentage of Overweight and Obese Residents by Age Group in Larimer County, 2009-2010
Data Source: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
What the above data tell us:
In Larimer County, those in the 55-64 age group had the highest percentage of overweight residents. While data for children under 18 years old were not available, childhood obesity is a concern across the nation. (The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has information on childhood obesity.)Weight gain is common as people age, but generally decreases around age 70 due to loss in muscle and fat tissue. Common reasons for weight gain in older adults include: decreases in resting metabolic rate, visceral body fat (genetic makeup), decreases in physical activity, and overeating.
What this chart shows: Percentage of Overweight and Obese Residents by Gender in Larimer County, 2009-2010
Data Source: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
What the above data tell us:
In 2009-2010, males in Larimer County were more likely to be overweight than females. However, percentages of obesity for males and females were much closer. It is quite likely that these numbers are underreported and women may be more likely to underreport weight issues than men.What this chart shows: Percentage of Overweight and Obese Residents by Income Level in Larimer County, 2009-2010
Data Source: Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment
What the above data tell us:
In Larimer County, those earning more than $50,000 had the highest percentage of individuals reporting being overweight (35.8%) or obese (22.0%). It should be noted that in Larimer County the annual per capita income in 2009 was $37,844. Please see the Per Capita Income page on COMPASS for more information.The racial and ethnic groups represented in the Colorado Health Information Dataset (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) are small in sample size for Larimer County. Therefore, due to possible misrepresentation, racial and ethnic group data were not presented. However, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, minorities have a higher prevalence of overweight and obesity, when compared to White individuals.
Additional Information:
Related Information on COMPASS-
- Cancer Incidence & Mortality
- Cardiovascular Disease & Stroke Mortality
- Diabetes
- Physical Exercise
- Lung Cancer Incidence & Mortality
- Mortality
Other Resources -
- Action for Healthy Kids
- Alliance for a Healthier Generation
- American Obesity Association - comprehensive resource for national statistics and news articles related to overweight and obesity issues.
- F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future (August 2011) [pdf]
- Improving Child Nutrition Policy: Insights from National USDA Study of School Food Environments (February 2009) [pdf] - according to this report, 'fewer than one-third of public schools participating in the National School Lunch Program offered lunches that met the SMI standards for total fat or saturated fat.'
- Income, Education and Obesity: A Closer Look at Inequities in Colorado's Obesity Problem (2008) [pdf] - offers a snapshot look at obesity in Colorado. In 2007, 24.7% of obese children in Colorado lived in families less than $25,000 per year, versus 8.8% from families earning more than $75,000 annually.
- Nutrition and Weight Management Assistance, Health District of Northern Larimer County - reduced fees are available for people with low incomes who live in northern Larimer County.
- Overweight and Obesity - Centers for Disease Control; provides definitions, statistics, consequences, and more information regarding overweight and obesity.
- Promoting Healthy Communities and Reducing Childhood Obesity: Legislative Options (March 2009) [pdf] - this report, by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, discusses the various legislative options for promoting healthy communities. According to this report, Colorado is the only state that doesn't require physical education in the schools.
- Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States (July 2009) - a report published by the CDC that offers a wide variety of strategies to prevent obesity ranging from encouraging breastfeeding to limiting sugar-sweetened drinks in preschools to providing incentives to local farmers and enhancing infrastructure that encourages bicycling.
- We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity & Nutrition
Industry Standards or Targets:
Data Tables:
Percentage of Obese Residents - Colorado & Larimer County
|
Colorado |
Larimer County |
Healthy People 2010 Objective |
|
|
2003-2004 |
16.6% | 12.1% | 15.0% |
|
2005-2006 |
18.3% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
|
2007-2008 |
19.4% | 17.1% | 15.0% |
|
2009-2010 |
20.1% | 19.4% | 15.0% |
Percentage of Overweight and Obese by Age Group -
Larimer County, 2009-2010
|
Age Group |
Overweight |
Obese |
|
18-24 |
16.4% | 9.4% |
|
25-34 |
26.7% | 19.9% |
|
35-44 |
28.8% | 21.5% |
|
45-54 |
41.5% | 23.1% |
|
55-64 |
43.1% | 20.7% |
|
65+ |
42.1% | 15.1% |
Percentage of Overweight and Obese by Gender -
Larimer County, 2009-2010
|
Overweight |
Obese |
|
|
Female |
26.8% | 18.7% |
|
Male |
40.7% | 20.1% |
Overweight and Obese by Income Level -
Larimer County, 2009-2010
|
Overweight |
Obese |
|
|
<$25,000 |
24.9% | 14.5% |
|
$25-49,999 |
34.2% | 21.5% |
|
>$50,000 |
35.8% | 22.0% |