"F" as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future

This week, Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a report, "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010." The report findings include, "Adult obesity rates increased in 28 states in the past year, and declined only in the District of Columbia (D.C.)" According to this report, "more than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent." Now, only one state has an adult obesity rate lower than 20 percent: Colorado (19.1%). To view the interactive map to see the results for both adult and childhood obesity, visit http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/.

How is Kansas Doing?

Kansas currently ranks 16th out of 51 (with 51 being the lowest rate of obesity, and 1 being the highest) for adult obesity with 28.2% of the state population being obese, and 16.2% of the state's children. You can see specific information our state, including what Kansas is already doing to reverse this trend, here: http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2010/release.php?stateid=KS.

The American Heart Association is working at the federal and state level, as well as in the community, to ensure that healthy policies are in place to allow for individuals to take charge of their health and ensure that this obesity trend does not continue. Do you know your heart health? If not, why not visit our website to learn about the Simple 7 ways you can be heart-healthy? Take our easy LifeCheck Assessment and even make an Action Plan for how to improve your health! http://mylifecheck.heart.org/

What are your thoughts on this report?

Advance the HEART for Women Act through the Facebook Action Center!

With heart disease and stroke taking the lives of more women each year than any other diseases, it is critical that Congress makes women’s heart health a priority. You have a special opportunity to help advance the HEART for Women Act! The Senate’s Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee will soon vote on the bill - and your Senator needs to hear from you!

Go to the Facebook Action Center to take action today! Or, you can also take action at www.heartforwomen.org.

Smoke Free Materials Now Available!

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) now has indoor clean air promotional materials available for distribution. The materials will assist with implementation actions for the July 1 start of the smokefree law in Kansas. Materials offered include table tents, business brochures, signs and business toolkits for businesses and are available to state agencies, health departments, regional prevention centers, local prevention efforts and health coalitions.

The business toolkits contain a Clean Air Act business brochure, Quitline brochure, fact sheet and signs. Check out the website at www.kssmokefree.org to see samples of the materials available.

If you are able to help with the distribution of any of these materials in your community, please get in touch with Ginger Park, the Media and Policy Coordinator with KDHE’s Tobacco Use Prevention Program. And if you are planning or aware of any special events happening in your area to announce or celebrate the start of the Kansas Indoor Clean Air Act on July 1, by all means - let us know!

Tell Congress We Need Funding to Save Lives

A cardiac arrest victim's chance of survival more than doubles with immediate CPR and early defibrillation using an AED. However, far too many communities don’t have the resources to afford AEDs.

Right now, Congress is deciding on funding for key programs such as the Rural and Community AED program, which provides grants to states to purchase AEDs for public places. Last year, only 10 states were able to receive funding.

Send a quick note to your legislators today urging them to increase funding to ensure more people have access to these life-saving devices.
http://www.capitolconnect.com/yourethecure/fastaction.aspx?AlertID=15728

Ask Congress for Funds to Save Women's Lives

More than 432,000 women die each year from CVD, but so many of those deaths could be prevented. Ask Members of Congress to fund WISEWOMAN, a program that helps women prevent heart disease and stroke. Take Action Today. Link= http://bit.ly/bX5AKh