With obesity and obesity-related diseases on the rise, the United States is facing a national health crisis, and the issue especially is hitting home in Virginia, Gov. Mark R. Warner said yesterday in a speech concluding the two-day Governor's Summit on Healthy Virginians held at the University.
In 2002, 24 percent of Virginia adults were obese, 35 percent were overweight and 19 percent of children between the ages of two and five were overweight, Warner said.
"This truly is both a health care and a potential financial crisis that we cannot ignore," he said.
In order to promote healthier lifestyles and reduce health-care costs in the Commonwealth, Warner launched a "Healthy Virginians" initiative Nov. 9. The initiative, which Warner said is still "a work in progress," is comprised of three components.
The first component looks to promote healthier lifestyles among state employees by encouraging them to participate in an online health assessment, to "convert cigarette and snack breaks into walk breaks," to add 2,000 steps to their daily routines and to cut at least 100 calories out of their diet per day, Warner said.
The second component, launched Nov. 18, focuses on improving overall wellness among children by encouraging schools in the Commonwealth to offer more nutritious breakfast and lunch options and to devote more time to physical fitness programs.
Finally, the third component, slated to be launched in the next two weeks, is designed to control the rising cost of Medicaid.
"Virginia has one of the leanest Medicaid programs in the country," Warner said, adding that the program will offer new incentives for pregnant women to get good prenatal care as well as take steps to increase access to dental services for Medicaid recipients.
Jane Woods, Virginia secretary of health and human resources, emphasized the immediacy of the health care crisis in the Commonwealth and said Virginia can be better in its overall wellness.
"Virginia isn't just for lovers," Woods said. "Virginia is for lovers of history, education and most of all, Virginia is for lovers of a healthier Virginia."
The Governor's Summit on Healthy Virginians brought together policymakers, executives and experts in health care, insurance and philanthropy to discuss the state of the health of Virginians as well as to explore programs that would promote healthier lifestyles.
Warner commended the summit participants for their dedication to improving the overall health of the Commonwealth and said he looks forward to hearing their recommendations.
"I believe that the next 13 months hold great, great promise," he said. "I hope we can lay the claim by the end of this administration that Virginia is on the path to becoming the healthiest state in the country."
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