ORONO, Maine — A University of Maine study says the medical costs of obesity for children and adolescents in the state could reach $1.2 billion over the next 20 years.
UMaine economics Professor Todd Gabe’s study also suggests that the incidence of obesity is likely to increase from 7.8 percent of Maine’s youths to nearly 26 percent as they grow into adults.
Gabe says his study brings the issue of a nationwide obesity epidemic closer to home.
The study uses statistics from the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and data on more than 2,000 school-aged children in Maine compiled by physical education teachers in 18 schools across the state.
Last year, the medical costs of obesity for all age groups in Maine were nearly $453 million.
Hardly ever see kids out playing any more. In the winter time it’s worse. With all the channels on TV and all these electronic games for them to use and all the good wholesome fast food places I agree it’s heading in the wrong direction.
And let’s not forget that garbage like “instant this and that” and soda are all cheaper than anything healthy. Instant is so much easier, but no one cares that it isn’t as healthy. Lots of things wrong here.
Water is free. No reason in the world for soda.
Oh come now. No need to be extreme. A little common sense and moderation is what is usually lacking.
Well that was my point. But kids don’t need soda any more often than at parties, holidays, or on occassion. There is no need for even weekly soda, especially since soda is on the top two list of the reason for our obesity problem. I, personally, do not buy my kids soda for the house.
I don’t disagree with your personal philosophy – though “no reason in the world for soda”, seems to be suggesting that blame belongs with soda, and not with parents (or an adults) poor decisions. Soda has been around for far longer than the obesity epidemic, as have highly processed foods. Let’s be honest, it’s people who are to blame and people that need to change.
Food and drink are driven by supply and demand. It’s time people demanded something different, by their own initiative, for their own health – not waiting for nanny government (or even their doctors) to tell them. Ignorance is not an excuse. Not today.
Den,
Critically important point. Fresh healthy food is very very expensive and beyond the possible food budgets of the 47% who are at or below poverty. That crisis will worsen in coming months as food prices again reach highs that will have devastating consequences for the most vulnerable here and around the world.
Teaching people about nutrition only works if nutritious food is available at affordable prices.
Thinking on health policy is slowly moving towards wellness programs where reimbursement isn’t per procedure or per perscription but per capita ( an idea discussed at the One Maine seminar on health) .
But how is wellness possible for the 47% without a commitment and process for making sure that healthful nutritious food is available affordably to all.
Thank you again Den for your wisdom in this.
I disagree. As the RN above stated water is free. For those of us that grew up “way back when” we seldom drank soda and at the time a bottle of coke was 6 oz.
Lots of good food is relatively cheap. I am looking at a bag of apples, about 5lbs for $6.81. The cabbage which has been cut up must have weighed close to 3lbs was $1.36. Spinach was extravagant at $1.90 per pound. I have an ad here showing pork for $1.69/lb and chicken breasts for $1.79lb. Raisins $2.99 for 24oz
Last year I went to the super market to see what I could buy for about the price of a pound of spaghetti which I think was a $1.05. There were numerous things for sale that were cheaper, squash was way cheaper, oat meal, kale, chard, carrots and of course potatoes were too.
Farmers will often sell produce with blemishes even cheaper for those living near a farm. Any number of people who live in rural areas have room for a garden and even a small garden can produce a lot of good food.
Dear NMR1
Thanks for your personal commitment to eat healthy and eat smart and for some very good examples of how that might be possible ( glad you splurged on spinach).. The choices you are trying to make with commitment and diligence are responsible for all of us because he bigger the commitment each of us has to good health the lower all our health costs will be.
Food prices for all of us will jump another 15% to 20% in 2013 and the poorest will be hit the hardest.
I saw in the news recently that a health conscious wellness seeking member of Congress decided to live on a snap budget ( used be called food stamps). He said after only two weeks into his one month commitment he felt less well, got tired more easily and just felt off his pace..by the end of the month making the wisest choices he could within that budget he was not in good shape even though he had kept up all his other good habits..lots of water , daily exercise, responsible # of hours of sleep..
Surely you agree that every person in this nation should have access to affordable high quality nutritious food.
Food costs will increase thanks to the inane energy policy which requires us to burn food as fuel.
Hi Oldmainer,
Yes you are absolutely correct that bio diesel , use of food crop and conversions of dood crop land to grasses for bo diesel, were a very significant factor in the 2008 food crisis and continue to play a role, though not at the same level.
Adding as much as 40% to the cost of food globally in the run up to the 2008 food crisis was pure speculation in food commodities that were packaged into derivatives with gas & oil and sold as derivatives. Although The U.N. and many global economists have called for changes in regulation of markets to prohibit pure speculation in food that action has not been taken and is not in the works. ( For more information on this see the conversation I moderated at TED this past spring and also the food price model developed by the Institute For Complex Studies in Caimbridge. Their food model will show you the exact contribution of bio diesel to the run up to the 2008 food crisis and their recent reclabrtion will show you how much a factor that is now. It is their model that is predicting the 2013 food crisis)
In the course of moderating my food speculation conversation at TED I was shocked to learn that we have basically given up our own national food security now entrusting our own food supply entirely to free markets. So we nologer have grains in storage to meet shortfall here at home..to help our own poorest through this crisis..we have to buy our own food aid at prices inflated by as much as 40%.
It is a big service to humanity that you take in interest in the oruce of food and the causes of inflation in food prices.
Best to you
Lindsay
What about priorities and personal responsibility?
How many of these “47%” that pay no taxes, have big screen TV’s, cable or satellite, DSL internet, etc. Are there ATV’s and snowmobiles in the yard?
Are these things no longer luxuries and should come before healthy food?
Who is running these households, the children?
Why wouldn’t people have a problem when someone that we’re supporting is spending money on HBO that many tax payers can’t afford?
Ranger266,
I don’t see that here on my island where 1/3 of all households get all their food at the food pantry ( no snap..they are too proud for that) and all their clothes at the community clothes closet ( recycled donations). There are people here who have never had a bed.. don’t have clothes washers or driers..cook on woodstoves which are heir only heat. No flatcreen TVs, satellite dishes, ATV or cars in their drive ways. They are he first to serve at a benefit supper for a family in crisis because of illness or death. These are the faces of the 47% I know as neighbors here on my island. They aren’t looking for sympathy. They don;t take any government handouts. They work at whatever they can for as many employers as they can
And yet we continue to minimize and or eliminate Health and P.E. classes. We’re not really being very forward thinking on this subject.
A couple cooking classes would probably make a huge difference too.
or view the 5 million ones on the internet on you tube, spark people, livestrong etc.
Absolutely. Just mentioned that myself.
This is strange…last week we had an article on poverty and hunger being a problem?
Yes, but the inexpensive food like oodles of noodles, mac n cheese, white bread, Kool-Aid….all that cheap crap costs very little but contributes to the obesity problem. Also the lack of parental education on nutrition and how to make healthy foods tasty is another issue. It’s really a tough situation.
It’s foolish and is only adding to the problem. When I was in h.s., we had to take gym right up until our Sr. yr where it became an option.
This needs to change.
the susidized, industrial agriculture system is to blame
start paying the REAL price of food by supporting local farmers and small scale providers
until then, have fun being fat and sick America!
Here kid; a new laptop from the State. When you are not doing homework, you can play all kinds of games. Dad will bring in the wood, and Mom will bring in the food, and the only time you will have to move your size 44 @$$ is when you walk down the 3 foot driveway to your school bus.
Hey society you get what you pay for.
OK people, no one says that obesity is not a problem and not on the rise. However, beware of any government or university “study” that affixes a price tag to any problem. It is never, ever accurate and as a general rule of thumb, exaggerates the real cost incredibly. Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics…
Pretty broad brush, there, John. And your evidence for trashing this particular study would be?
Sometimes the cost is greatly under-exaggerated.
Is this the week that obesity is the problem for the poor or is it hunger that’s the problem this week? I wish they would issue calendars telling us which week is obesity and which is hunger so I could remember which to worry about.
Of course you are right. No one goes hungry anymore. UNLESS you are three and mommy is to stoned to feed you.
Then there si the nutrition factor. a steady diet of rabbit will make one very fat and also eventually very dead. Rabbit has no nutrients.
Next round of gastric bypass patients.