Physical Activity and Nutrition
Working to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Oregon and southwest Washington by promoting healthy eating and active living
Please note that in 2010 we will not be providing competitive grants through our Physical Activity and Nutrition program area. We will continue to advocate for policies that enable improved physical activity and nutrition, particularly among youth, low income communities and communities of color. We will also offer opportunities for grantmaking through the Kaiser Permanente Community Fund. We expect to offer a new grant cycle in this area in the future, possibly as early as 2011. Please subscribe to our e-news to stay informed.
The combination of physical inactivity and poor nutrition is now the nation’s second-leading preventable cause of death after smoking. Obesity significantly increases the risk of developing many of the leading causes of death in the United States, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer.
In Oregon:
- Nearly 60% of Oregon adults are now either obese or overweight.
- One in four Oregon eighth graders are now overweight or at risk of becoming overweight.
- Between 1990 and 2007, the prevalence of obesity in Oregon rose 140%.
- Obesity costs Oregon at least $781 million per year in direct medical expenses - over $1 billion including indirect costs such as lost productivity and co-morbidities.
- In 2009, the medical costs of obesity in the United States has rose to $147 billion annually up from $74 billion ten years earlier.
- The social and economic consequences of the obesity epidemic threaten to overwhelm our health system unless we implement comprehensive prevention strategies today.
Complex environmental factors influence the choices people make about eating and exercise. Research has shown that people who live in neighborhoods where healthy food is available, walking and biking is safe, and parks and other community resources are easily accessed, they are much more likely to maintain healthy weight.
The Northwest Health Foundation partners with communities to advance their efforts to improve options for healthy nutrition and regular physical activity. We are particularly interested in supporting resource-poor communities and groups that have been disproportionately affected by the obesity epidemic.