UCLA Health
myUCLAhealth
School of Medicine
Toggle navigation
About Us
What is UCLA Health?
Contact Us
Your Feedback
Accountable Care Organization
Awards & Achievements
Careers
Careers for Physicians
Departments - Administrative
Departments - Clinical
Industry Relations
In the Community
Innovation & Technology
Leadership
News Releases
Social Media
Contact
Your Feedback
Accountable Care Organization
Awards and Achievements
Careers
Careers for Physicians
Departments - Administrative
Departments - Clinical
Industry Relations
In the Community
Innovation & Technology
Leadership
News Releases
Social Media
Conditions & Treatment
Health Library
Tests & Procedures
Drug Interaction Checker
Brain & Nervous System
Cancer
Children's Health
Heart Disease
Nutrition & Wellness
Pregnancy & Newborns
Orthopedics
Women's Health
Video Library
Cancer
Cardiovascular
Chiropractic
Cosmetic Surgery
Ear, Nose and Throat
Gastrointestinal
General Healthcare
Neurological
Obstetrics/Gynecology
See all videos...
Video Library
Locations
Hospitals
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
UCLA Medical Center, Santa Monica
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital
Institutes and Centers
Take a Virtual Tour
Medical Offices/Clinics
Primary Care
Specialty Care
Urgent Care Centers
Outpatient Surgery Centers
Imaging/Radiology Locations
Clinical Labs
Pharmacies
Coming Soon
Interactive Map
UCLA Hospitals
Take a Virtual Tour
Primary Care Practices
Specialty Care Practices
Urgent Care Centers
Outpatient Surgery Centers
Other Locations
Interactive Map
Coming Soon!
Medical Services
For Patients & Visitors
Directions & Parking
Appointments: Call, Click, Come In
Admissions Information
Preparing For Surgery
Patient Services
Security & Parking Services
Office of the Patient Experience
For International Patients
Lodging & Nearby Services
Around Westwood
Gift Shops & Flowers
Health Resources
Log in to myUCLAhealth
About myUCLAhealth
Billing Information
Medical Records
Accountable Care Organization (ACO)
Covered California
Health Plans
Interactive Patient Education Videos (Emmi)
FAQs
Calendar of Events
Secure Email Messages
Share Your Story
Health Publications
Vital Signs Newsletters
Health Tips for Parents
Contact Us
Appointments: Call, Click, Come in
Admissions Information
Advance Directive
Covered California
Health Plans
Directions & Parking
Patient Services
Medical Records
myUCLAhealth
Smoke-Free
Publications
Health Resources
Around Westwood
Lodging
Preparing For Surgery
Patient-focused Technology Council
Health Forms
End of Life Option Act: Resources & Materials
Frequently Asked Questions
Secure Email Messages
Gift Shops
For Healthcare Professionals
Referring a Patient
E-Referral
Continuing Medical Education
Ethics Center
UCLA HealthLink
Physician to Physician Access Line (P2P)
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Clinical Informatics Fellowship
Academic Positions
Physician Careers
UCLA School of Nursing
Department of Nursing
Physician Publications
Physicians Update
Clinical Updates
U Magazine
E-Referral
Physician to Physician Access Line (P2P)
Physician Careers
Clinical Informatics Fellowship
Flu Resources for Healthcare Professionals
Publications
Multimedia
UCLAMDCHAT Webinars
Community Health Program Videos
UCLAORLive Surgery
iTunes
Download Our Apps
Mini Med School
Demystifying Cancer Forum
TEDx UCLA Videos
Tips from our Physical Therapists
Patient Stories
Real Questions
Webinars on Demand
Pediatric Grand Rounds
Community Health Program Videos
UCLAORLive Surgery
UCLAMDChat Webinars
iTunes
Download Our Apps
Mini Med School
Demystifying Cancer Forum
TEDx UCLA Videos
Tips From Our Physical Therapists
Patient Stories
Real Questions
Back Pain Management
Find a Provider
UCLA Health
myUCLAhealth
School of Medicine
About Us
About Us
About Us
Contact
Your Feedback
Accountable Care Organization
CMS Medicare Shared Savings Program
UCLA MSSP ACO
ACO - Anthem Blue Cross PPO
Anthem Blue Cross PPO ACO FAQ
Awards and Achievements
UCLA Health hospitals rank among nation’s best in U.S. News survey
UCLA Designated a National Magnet Hospital
Careers
Careers for Physicians
Departments - Administrative
Departments - Clinical
Industry Relations
In the Community
Community Health
Innovation & Technology
Contact
Leadership
Dr. John Mazziotta
Johnese Spisso
Dr. Kelsey Martin
News Releases
Social Media
About Us
Contact
Your Feedback
Accountable Care Organization
Awards and Achievements
Careers
Careers for Physicians
Departments - Administrative
Departments - Clinical
Industry Relations
In the Community
Innovation & Technology
Leadership
News Releases
Social Media
Home
About Us
News Releases
News Releases
Share this
Health and Behavior
Obesity, diabetes epidemics continue to grow in California, UCLA study finds
08/31/2010
A majority of adults in California are obese or overweight, and more than 2 million have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to a
new study
from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.
Both conditions — which are related to each other as well as to heart disease — increased significantly in just six years, with the prevalence of diabetes alone jumping nearly 26 percent between 2001 and 2007.
The "epidemic" of obesity and diabetes leaves no racial, ethnic, economic or geographic segment of the state unscathed, according to the researchers. Although American Indians, African Americans and Latinos are particularly affected by both obesity and diabetes, these conditions increased among all racial and ethnic groups between 2001 and 2007.
Similarly, while both conditions disproportionately affect the poorest Californians, there were upward trends in prevalence among all income groups during the same time period. California's youth are also affected: More than a quarter of California adolescents — some 970,000 children — are obese or overweight.
"When so many people of different ages, income and educational levels, and cultural backgrounds are struggling with obesity and diabetes, it suggests that 'going on a diet' is not enough," said research co-author Dr. Allison Diamant, a faculty associate with the center and an associate adjunct professor of general internal medicine and health services research. "We need to take a hard look at the environmental and structural factors that contribute to these conditions."
The study specifically recommends that policymakers and others seek ways to increase access to recreational facilities and parks, as well as promote policies that encourage farmers markets and improve access to food outlets that stock fresh fruits and vegetables and other healthy fare.
The consequences of failure are severe. California is falling far short of the targets for obesity and diabetes set by
Healthy People 2010
, a national health-promotion and disease-prevention plan. For example, obesity among California adolescents is more than twice as high as the national target of 5.0 percent, while the rate of diabetes among California adults is more than three times the federal goal of 2.5 percent of the population.
"It is a travesty that beer and Flaming Hot Cheetos are more readily available than an apple in low-income communities across the state," said Dr. Robert K. Ross, president and CEO of The California Endowment, which supported the study. "Local governments must support community efforts to bring in healthy food to these communities and expand opportunities for children and families to engage in physical activity by cleaning up parks and improving community safety."
In California, the total annual cost of diabetes is estimated to be $24 billion, with $17 billion spent on direct medical care and $7 billion on indirect costs associated with the disease. The cost of obesity to families, employers, the health care industry and the government is equally steep: $21 billion. If obesity and diabetes continue to affect more and more of the population, the associated costs will continue to grow.
Although there are a number of factors associated with diabetes and obesity, ranging from genetics to individual behaviors, the composition and structure of neighborhoods and social environments have been increasingly implicated as impediments to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Both physical activity and healthy eating are important for preventing and reducing obesity and diabetes.
California has enacted reforms to encourage healthy eating, including requiring chain restaurants to display calorie information and prohibiting the sale of soda and other sweetened beverages on K–12 school campuses.
However, the study authors conclude that more needs to be done to promote environments that promote regular exercise and healthy eating.
Other study findings:
Hardest-hit counties
Obesity prevalence was highest in Imperial (39.6 percent), Merced (34.3 percent) and Tulare (31.1 percent) counties, while diabetes prevalence was highest in Tulare (12.1 percent) and Fresno (10.9 percent). Regionally, the San Joaquin Valley had the highest prevalence of both obesity (30.0 percent) and diabetes (9.4 percent). Los Angeles County, due to the size of its population, had by far the most obese residents (1.7 million) and the most residents diagnosed with diabetes (642,000).
Low-income adults at risk
Adults living below the poverty line had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (27.7 percent) than higher-income adults (19.6 percent). Similarly, diabetes was more prevalent among the poorest adults — those living below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
Education a factor
The prevalence of obesity was nearly twice as high among adults with no more than an eighth-grade education (30.3 percent) as among those who graduated from college (14.9 percent). Diabetes prevalence was three times as high among adults with no high school education (14.8 percent) as among those who graduated from college (5.1 percent).
The study is based on data from the 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007
California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)
, the nation's largest state health survey.
Read the new study, "
Obesity and Diabetes: Two Growing Epidemics in California.
"
The California Endowment
, a private, statewide health foundation, was established in 1996 to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians.
The California Health Interview Survey (CHIS)
is the nation's largest state health survey and one of the largest health surveys in the United States.
The UCLA Center for Health Policy Research
is one of the nation's leading health policy research centers and the premier source of health-related information on Californians.
For more news, visit the
UCLA Newsroom
and follow us on
Twitter
.
Media Contact:
Gwen Driscoll
Media Contact
Gwen Driscoll
Latest News
Health and Behavior
Noninvasive spinal stimulation method enables paralyzed people to regain use of hands, study finds
04/25/2018
The nonsurgical technique, developed by a UCLA-led team, allows them to turn doorknobs and open water bottles for the first time in years.
Health and Behavior
Study suggests older surgeons produce lower mortality rates in emergency procedures
04/25/2018
The research also showed that when comparing by gender and across age groups, patients of female surgeons in their 50s had the lowest mortality rate.
Health and Behavior
UCLA research may explain some causes of infertility and miscarriage
04/25/2018
The study, led by Professor Amander Clark, could lead to important advances in an area of medicine that historically has been underfunded and underappreciated.
Health and Behavior
Doctors prescribe opioids at high rates to those at increased overdose risk, but trends improving, study finds
04/23/2018
Use in combination with the anti-anxiety drug benzodiazepine may be linked to the current surge in opioid-related deaths.
Health and Behavior
Crop choices: How price supports can contribute to healthier diets
04/19/2018
Professor's model suggests well-designed subsidies can help farmers and give consumers better food choices.
Like Us on Facebook
Follow Us on Twitter
Subscribe to Our Videos on YouTube
Follow us on Instagram
Add Us to Your Google+ Circles
Connect with Us on LinkedIn
Follow us on Pinterest
Follow us on Flickr
Follow us on Sharecare
×
Sign in to myUCLAhealth