While health trends in metropolitan Kansas City are generally headed in a positive direction, two exceptions are obesity and diabetes.
Every county from 2004 to 2011 saw growth in the rates of those conditions. There’s a glimmer of good news, however. Measured across shorter time frames, 2004-2007 and 2008-2011, the rates for those conditions have slowed in some counties.
Nearly 35 percent of American adults, or 78.6 million people, are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Some of the leading causes of preventable death are related to obesity, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some forms of cancer.
Obesity is measured by body mass index, or BMI. If your BMI is 30.0 or higher, you’re considered obese.
Diabetes is a group of diseases in which blood glucose or sugar levels are above normal. According to the CDC, 29.1 million people in the United States have diabetes and 86 million are pre-diabetic.
Diabetes-related complications include heart disease, blindness, kidney failure and lower-extremity amputations. It’s the seventh leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the CDC.
The tables below show obesity and diabetes prevalence in the 11-county metropolitan Kansas City area. They were prepared by the Mid-America Regional Council and were released last week as part of the REACH Healthcare Foundation’s 2015 Regional Health Assessment for Greater Kansas City.
Reading these stories is free, but telling them is not. Start your monthly gift now to support Flatland’s community-focused reporting.
Related Stories
Nick’s Picks | Roads, Bathrooms, Costco and More …
New Toll Road Opens Kansas City’s first toll road opens this week. Starting Saturday, you’ll pay up to $3.50 to travel the new express lanes on U.S. Highway 69 from 103rd to 151st streets in Overland Park. There are no toll booths — cameras scan your license plate, and a bill arrives by mail. KTAG…
Up From the Ashes: Warwick Theatre Revival Draws Applause
Two years ago, John Cleary met a fellow Kansas City actor for drinks. Their conversation centered on the fate of the Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre. A large portion of the ensemble’s home, the Warwick Theatre, was ash, charred timbers and soot-saturated costumes and props — remnants from a recent massive fire. The destruction was so great…
Nick’s Picks | Baseball, Drones, Romance and More …
Royals Reveal Next week, the Kansas City Royals head to Arizona for Spring Training. And that’s the mayor’s self-imposed deadline to lock in a stadium deal. So, is this finally the week owner John Sherman steps to the plate and unveils where the Royals will build their next home? At last week’s council meeting, Mayor…