Partnerships and Individual Action Essential in the Fight Against Obesity

Despite increased national attention on the issue of obesity, improved quality of life in the United States is getting worse. According to a report by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, adult obesity rates increased in 28 states in the past year, and decreased only in the District of Columbia.

Reduce Obesity to Reduce Health Care Cost

The effort to reduce obesity is often framed in large-scale economic terms. Reducing obesity will reduce the instances of preventable disease and will therefore reduce the costs of health care. This now-familiar refrain is certainly true and a very important reason to combat obesity, but it may do little to inspire a person to eat healthier, exercise more and take control of their weight. What is missing with this message is the sense of urgency for individuals to act. Without individual action, obesity is a growing problem without a solution.

Creative Efforts To Reduce Obesity

Many cities around the country are taking part in creative efforts to reduce obesity; municipalities are instituting taxing soda and candy, creating increased active recreational alternatives, and funding public informational campaigns. While this creative thinking is a step in the right direction, no matter how much funding goes into decreasing obesity in America, it’s up to the individual to actively participate. So far it’s clear from the statistics that many individuals are not taking personal responsibility to decrease obesity.

One city that is on the right track with inspiring individuals is Oklahoma City. Their OKC Million campaign, with a goal of one million lost pounds for city residents, uses a community approach to encourage concrete action. The OKC Million website urges both individuals and groups – families, companies and organizations – to participate in the challenge and rightly states that everyone, whether overweight or not, can and should make their lives healthier. To date OKC Million has 42,275 participants with 577,883 pounds lost. With healthy recipes, tips for exercise, and local success stories, including that of the leading-by-example Mayor, Oklahoma City seems to have a good grasp of what it takes to both help and motivate its residents toward sustained healthy living.

We need more partnerships like OKC Million, between government, companies and the community, to effectively change the direction of obesity in the United States. These partnerships can help instill the senses of urgency and individual responsibility that may be currently missing in the national dialogue. Without more good examples, the trends will continue and the obesity epidemic will only prove more difficult to reverse.

If you would like to learn more about creative collaboration possibilities that include an enduring and distinctive social purpose for your company, please contact Healthy Living Marketing at (301) 378-0384.

Tags: combat obesity, fight against obesity, obesity in America, obesity rates, OKC Million, reduce obesity, reducing obesity, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Trust for America’s Health