Obesity problem weighing upon health officials
Written by Joshua Figueira Obesity is more of a problem in Tooele County than elsewhere in the state, according to a recent government study.
The Utah Health Behavior Survey reports that 63 percent of county residents are overweight or obese, compared to 57 percent statewide, and 59 percent nationally. Now, health officials are trying to determine what's causing the county's weight problem, and how it might impact future generations.
"Obesity has been a long-standing issue for us in Tooele County," said Bucky Whitehouse, a spokesman for the Tooele County Health Department. "It is more prevalent here than elsewhere in the state, but why exactly that is, is hard to say."
Two recent findings from government reports may help shed some light on the causes of obesity. The first also comes from the health behavior survey. It reports that more than half of Tooele County residents don't get the recommended amount of regular physical activity, and one in four residents exercise less than once a month.
"That's obviously a contributor," said Whitehouse. "People who choose not to exercise put themselves at greater risk of becoming obese."
But some suggest that not exercising is related to a lack of resources, not willpower.
"One of the criticisms we hear is that there is no place to be physically active in Tooele County," said Whitehouse. "People, especially adults, complain that there aren't enough recreational programs. Kids have basketball and baseball and soccer and swimming, but aside from a few softball leagues there's not much in the way of sports for adults."
Marion Wright, who owns and operates Curves fitness club for women in Tooele, understands the frustration of those who feel they don't have enough opportunities for exercise. She sees examples of it every day.
"Some of the smaller outlying areas of the county have almost nothing. I get women coming in from Grantsville and Stockton who come out because this is their closest resource," she said.
While many people feel they need structured programs and leagues to get them active, Wright said there are plenty of exercise opportunities in regular everyday life.
"People can walk to work, or the grocery store, or walk with their kids to school," she said. "I just read an article on how to get a workout while doing housework. There are a lot of ways to get exercise."
But for many, walking to the store or biking to work is not an option. And that leads to a second possible reason for the county's expanding waistline: commuting. It's no secret that Tooele is a commuter county, with 2000 census data showing that 45 percent of county residents commute to Salt Lake City for work each day.
"The data also shows that an even higher percentage have to drive two or more miles to get to the grocery store," said Whitehouse. "Most people can't afford to take time to walk to the store, and they can't bike 30 miles to work everyday."
The answer to that problem could be more shops and stores in close proximity to homes.
The county has already begun to see the negative effects of an overweight population in terms of increased cardiovascular disease and diabetes, according to Whitehouse.
"What it comes back to is risk factors. Obese people are at greater risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments," he said.
And there's a whole other realm of ramifications for overweight individuals, according to Dr. Rebecca Puhl, a researcher at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University. Obese individuals are likely to suffer from stigmas and bias about their weight, which contribute to not only physical problems, but mental and emotional problems as well.
"They are more susceptible to things like depression and self-esteem issues, even suicidal thoughts," said Puhl. "When individuals are ostracized because of their weight, it has a severe impact on them. One study even showed that obese adolescent girls are half as likely to attend college as their peers with similar academic performance."
Puhl also sees some correlation between obesity and certain behaviors.
"It has been linked to higher levels of alcohol and substance abuse," she said.
According to the health behavior survey, Tooele County is also above state averages for binge and chronic drinking, as well as tobacco use.
"The research shows that obesity has real, tangible effects on individuals," said Puhl.
Effects that Whitehouse hopes can be limited, and eventually eliminated.
"We're working to get at the root of the problem and prevent things from getting worse," he said. \n
Tooele County Utah obesity statistics