Download Heart Disease and Stroke - Eat Smart, Move More NC

The Burden of Obesity in
North Carolina
Obesity-Related Chronic Disease
Obesity-Related Chronic Disease

More than half (53%) of all deaths of North
Carolinians are preventable.

Overweight and obesity are significantly
associated with diabetes, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, asthma, arthritis, and poor
health status.

Inadequate fruits and vegetables, lack of leisure
time physical activity, obesity, and overweight
make up 80% of N.C.’s risk factor or behaviors.
Preventable Causes of Death in N.C.
Preventable Causes of Death
in North Carolina (2007)
Tobacco Use
13,720
Diet/Physical Inactivity
12,583
2,653
Alcohol Consumption
2,350
Microbial Agents
Toxic Agents
1,743
Medical Error
1,516
Motor Vehicles
1,364
Firearms
910
Uninsurance
758
Unsafe Sex
606
Illicit Drug Use
531
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000 12,000 14,000 16,000
Estimated Number of deaths
State Center for Health Statistics, North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services, (2007).
The Burden of Obesity in
North Carolina
Heart Disease and Stroke
Heart Disease and Obesity
 Excess
weight in the form of body fat puts
a strain on the entire circulatory system.
 People
who are overweight or obese are
more likely to develop heart disease and
stroke even if they have no other risk
factors.
Heart Disease and Obesity

High blood pressure is twice as common in
adults who are obese than in those who are
at a healthy weight.

Overweight individuals are nearly 40 percent
more likely to develop heart disease than
healthy weight individuals; the rate increases
to 50 percent for obese individuals.
 Morbidly obese persons have an elevated
risk of nearly 70 percent.
High Blood Pressure Among Children
 High
blood pressure in children is strongly
correlated with being overweight.
 The
percentage of children with high blood
pressure in the U.S. appears to be
increasing as the percentage of children
and youth who are overweight increases.