Obesity rates have rapidly increased over the past two decades. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than one-third of adults (39.8%) in the United States were obese in 2017.
This not only creates many long-term health problems, but also significantly impacts workforce wellness and economic sustainability. Cities with exceptionally high obesity rates have an estimated $50 million extra of costs associated with obesity and related chronic conditions.
Most of the time health and weight issues are classified as individual problems, but things aren’t always that simple. In fact, policies passed by local governments can have a big impact on the health of its residents.
CityHealth recently released a report on whether officials in the 40 largest U.S. cities implemented food procurement policies to make healthy food more accessible in city-run facilities — awarding them with a gold, silver, bronze or no medal.
Read more and hear the full interview with CityHealth President, Shelley Hearne
