[IndianaTrails] Hoosier health slides again

[Robert J. Matter]

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060517/LIVING01/60517031

4:14 PM May 17, 2006

Hoosier health
slides again

Star staff report

More Indiana residents are overweight and are smoking, and fewer are
getting the exercise they need, a new study shows.
	
“As a state, we’ve continued to gain weight, exercise less, smoke more,
and eat fewer fruits and vegetables,” State Health Commissioner Judith
A. Monroe said in a statement.
Highlights from the study include:

- Smoking has increased from 24.8 percent of the population in 2004 to
27.3 percent in 2005. Indiana is now second in the percentage of current
smokers, behind only Kentucky. Indiana ranked 7th in 2004.

- More Hoosiers are considered obese: 27.2 percent in 2005, up from 25.5
percent in 2004. Indiana is now 10th in the percentage of people
considered obese, down from ninth in 2004.

- 78 percent of Hoosiers eat less than five servings of fruits and
vegetables daily.

The data is from the 2005 Indiana Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance
System survey.

Gov. Mitch Daniels launched INShape Indiana in July 2005, challenging
Hoosiers to make healthy choices. The free, Web-based program
(www.inshape.in.gov) provides statewide information on physical fitness
activities, nutrition and smoking cessation.

“Smoking, inactivity, and poor nutrition affect long term health,”
Monroe said. “People who engage in unhealthy behaviors put themselves at
greater risk for chronic diseases, such as diabetes, emphysema, heart
disease, and some cancers.”

State health officials say that unhealthy behaviors can also hurt the
fiscal health of Indiana businesses and the state as a whole.
Absenteeism, loss of productivity, and higher health care costs all have
a negative effect on productivity and profitability.

Other significant findings of the report include:

- 52.3 percent of all Hoosiers do not participate in moderate physical
activity.

- 26.2 percent have been told they have high blood pressure.

- 8.3 percent have been told they have diabetes.

-35.1 percent are considered overweight, based on Body Mass Index.

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