Making The Case

"It seems like a no-brainer: the fewer the sidewalks, walking destinations, safe neighborhoods, and other accoutrements that go into making a community "walkable", the less people walk. The less they walk, the more they weigh. The more they weigh, the more likely they are to have health problems."—Excerpted from THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF SPRAWL, from the website for The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the fifth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008 report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). Rates rose for a second consecutive year in 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. No state saw a decrease. Though many promising policies have emerged to promote physical activity and good nutrition in communities, the report concludes that they are not being adopted or implemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis.

South Carolina was named the 5th most obese state in America according to the report. The state's adult obesity rate is 29.2 percent, an increase for the third year in a row.

"America's future depends on the health of our country. The obesity epidemic is lowering our productivity and dramatically increasing our health care costs. Our analysis shows that we're not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves," said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH. "Even though communities have started taking action, considering the scope of the problem, the country's response has been severely limited. For significant change to happen, combating obesity must become a national priority."

This battle must begin on a local level here in Spartanburg. Our community needs to become a leader in both the state of South Carolina and on a national level.

The Health Problem of Physical Inactivity
Recommended Physical Activity
Health Statistics for South Carolina
Walking and Bicycling in South Carolina