Why Is This Important?

Obesity is associated with an increased risk for a number of chronic diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers (endometrial, colon, kidney, esophageal, and post-menopausal breast cancer.) In both New Mexico and the United States, the percentage of adults who are obese, based on telephone survey data, has more than doubled since 1990. Excess weight also contributes to the development of arthritis, a chronic disease that is the leading cause of disability amongst adults in the nation and the state. An estimated $324 million is spent in New Mexico annually on adult obesity-attributable medical expenditures; of these, $51 million is spent within the Medicare population, and $84 million is spent within the Medicaid population.

How Are We Doing?

Mirroring national trends, New Mexico's rate of obesity continues to climb.

What Is Being Done?

-The New Mexico Healthier Weight Council is implementing the New Mexico Plan to Promote Healthier Weight: 2006-2015. Over 90 council members represent diverse organizations statewide.

-The New Mexico Interagency for the Prevention of Obesity is conducting obesity prevention efforts at both the state and community levels, in collaboration with partners in Las Cruces and statewide advocacy groups. Interagency members represent 40 state programs across eight state departments.

-The Clinical Prevention Initiative Healthier Weight Workgroup has produced a toolkit using materials that were carefully developed, adapted or borrowed to support NM health care providers in promoting healthier weight with their adult patients. Workgroup members are currently training healthcare professionals on how to best utilize the materials in their day-to-day practice. The culturally and linguistically relevant materials are founded on the evidence-based National Institutes of Health "Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults."

-Materials prepared for the Albuquerque Prescription Trails Pilot Program are designed for healthcare providers to write prescriptions for walking and wheelchair rolling. A guide includes routes in the community by zip code.

-Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change is focused on creating healthier environments and policies to address poor nutrition, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease through collaborative partnerships between the Department of Health, YMCA of Central New Mexico, and allies in Albuquerque.

-The national initiative, Fruits & Veggies - More Matters, is promoted statewide to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. Substituting fruits and vegetables for foods high in fat and added sugars can be part of a successful weight management strategy.

Evidence-based Practices

To help communities in this effort, CDC initiated the Common Community Measures for Obesity Prevention Project (the Measures Project). The objective of the Measures Project was to identify and recommend a set of strategies and associated measurements that communities and local governments can use to plan and monitor environmental and policy-level changes for obesity prevention. This report describes the expert panel process that was used to identify 24 recommended strategies for obesity prevention and a suggested measurement for each strategy that communities can use to assess performance and track progress over time. The 24 strategies are divided into six categories: 1) strategies to promote the availability of affordable healthy food and beverages), 2) strategies to support healthy food and beverage choices, 3) a strategy to encourage breastfeeding, 4) strategies to encourage physical activity or limit sedentary activity among children and youth, 5) strategies to create safe communities that support physical activity, and 6) a strategy to encourage communities to organize for change. For more information, please see Kahn, et al., Recommended Community Strategies and Measurements to Prevent Obesity in the United States, http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5807a1.htm.