Nebraska

Overweight and obesity have tremendous consequences on our nation's health and economy. Both are linked to a number of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers. Most American communities are characterized by unhealthy options when it comes to diet and physical activity. We need public health approaches that make healthy options easy, affordable, and available for all Americans.

CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) currently funds 25 states to address the problems of obesity and other chronic diseases through statewide efforts with multiple partners.  The program's primary focus is to create policy and environmental changes to increase: physical activity, consumption of fruits and vegetables, and breastfeeding; and to decrease: television viewing, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, and consumption of high-energy dense foods (high calorie/low nutrient foods). Nebraska has received funding for this program since 2008.

The Burden of Obesity in Nebraska

Nebraska's estimated 2007 total population is over 1.7 million, with roughly 1.3 million adults. Of those adults, approximately 38% are considered overweight and another 27% are considered obese, according to 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data. Problems are also seen in factors related to obesity and other chronic diseases.

• Approximately one-in-five Nebraska adults report no leisure time physical activity in the past month.
• Only 24% report eating fruits and vegetables at least five times a day.

Also, the National Immunization Survey shows that Nebraska is not meeting three of the five Healthy People 2010 goals for breastfeeding based on children born in 2005.

The problem is not limited to adults alone. Fourteen percent of Nebraska youth (9th–12th grades) are overweight, and another 11% are obese, according to 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data.

• Only 37% of youth in these grade levels are meeting current physical activity recommendation levels.
• Only 14% eat fruits and vegetables five or more times a day.
• Twenty-seven percent of youth watch three or more hours of television each day.

Obesity also affects the state's economy. In Nebraska, the medical costs associated with adult obesity were $454 million in 2003 dollars. 

What is Nebraska Doing about Obesity?

The Nutrition and Activity for Health (NAFH) program has begun implementing an existing state plan and is building infrastructure and capacity for nutrition, physical activity, and obesity programs within the state and local public health agencies. The program is providing training teleconferences for local public health departments/partners in the state, on topics such as evidence-based practice and social marketing. NAFH also provides a monthly electronic newsletter which communicates new and existing research, resources, reports, and grant opportunities to 300+ partners statewide. NAFH collaboratively provides intervention grants to local public health departments across the state with funds from the cardiovascular health, cancer control, diabetes, Preventive Health and Human Services Block Grant, Tobacco Free Nebraska programs, and the Office of Community Health Development. Ten of the thirteen grantees focus on implementing nutrition, physical activity, or obesity prevention activities.

Several other activities from the NAFH program include the following:

• Collaborating with the Nebraska Department of Agriculture during the summer of 2008 to host the Centennial Mall Garden Market promoting fresh fruits and vegetables. The market targeted state employees who work within walking distance of the market.
• Implementing the “Whatcha doin?” campaign which promotes fruits, vegetables, and physical activity to teens in 12 Nebraska high schools. It reaches over 10,000 students with regularly updated materials and messages.
• Working with the Nebraska Department of Education to promote and create infrastructure for the Coordinated School Health Model across Nebraska. This includes developing institutes to intensively train and engage school health council members in creating school environments supportive of healthy eating and physical activity. 
• Collaborating with a physician network to develop a webinar and provider toolkit for health care clinics incorporating the Nebraska Physical Activity and Nutrition Youth Assessment Form. 
• Pilot-testing a modified Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey to assess access to healthy foods across both urban and rural communities.

The program has future plans to implement the Body and Soul program, an evidence-based program from the National Cancer Institute, with African Americans in North Omaha through church-based health ministries.

Through these activities, Nebraska and CDC are addressing obesity by creating places where Nebraska residents can make healthy choices about nutrition and physical activity.

For more information:
Bruce Rowe
Health Administrator
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services
Telephone: 402-471-6439
Fax: 402-471-6446
E-mail: bruce.rowe@nebraska.gov
Web site: http://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/default.aspx

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