Silver State Times

Carson City, NV – On Thursday, September 19, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps. In 2023, all U.S. states and territories had an obesity prevalence higher than 20%. Twenty-three states in the U.S. now have an adult obesity prevalence over 35%, an increase from 22 states in 2022.

Nevada’s adult obesity prevalence for 2023 is 30.8%, a decrease from 2022 (33.5%) and 2021 (31.3%) but still higher than all reported rates from 2011-2020.

Obesity is a chronic disease that puts individuals at risk of numerous other chronic conditions, including asthma, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancers as well as more severe outcomes from respiratory illnesses. Four out of the top five leading causes of death in Nevada are due to chronic diseases: heart disease, cancer-malignant neoplasms, chronic lower respiratory diseases and stroke.

With the release of the new Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps, the CDC has highlighted the need for population-based interventions to ensure access to healthy foods, safe places for physical activity, stigma-free obesity prevention and treatment programs, and evidence-based health care services. To best support Nevadans in mitigating and preventing obesity, partners statewide need to work together to provide comprehensive support.

In 2022, the Division of Public and Behavioral Health's Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Program (CDPHP) released the Chronic Disease Strategic Plan 2023-2027. The strategic plan aims to improve the health of all Nevadans by improving policy systems and environments influencing quality of life. As many risk factors associated with chronic disease are modifiable through lifestyle change and social determinants of health, CDPHP has a special focus on primary prevention as evidence supports this will have the greatest impact in reducing the overall physical and financial burden of disease.

CDPHP launched their first statewide obesity prevention and treatment program in 2023: Healthy Eating Active Living Nevada (HEALNV). HEALNV is a community engagement initiative to promote healthier behaviors that can reduce the risk of conditions like diabetes, heart disease, obesity Alzheimer’s and cancer. This initiative seeks to support Nevadans in integrating healthy choices into everyday life. The "5-2-1-0 Program" under HEALNV provides simple messaging and goals to help families lead a healthy and active life:

5 or more fruits and vegetables a day

2 hours or less of screen time

1 hour of physical activity a day

0 sugar-sweetened beverages

CDPHP is working with Northern Nevada Public Health Southern Nevada Health District Carson City Health and Human Services Dr Steven Shane from Nevada Chapter American Academy Pediatrics to continue expanding HEALNV "5-2-1-0 Program" across various sectors including healthcare providers schools early education settings worksites community centers among others.

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