| General Health | |
|---|---|
 |
Adult Obesity Rates |
 |
Infant Mortality Rates |
| Trend Indicators | |
|---|---|
|
Trend is down Performance improving |
 |
Trend is up Performance improving |
 |
Trend maintaining Performance strong |
 |
Trend is down Performance declining |
 |
Trend is up Performance declining |
|
Trend maintaining Performance stable |
Research has shown that as a person's weight increases, so does the risk for developing a number of serious health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and certain cancers (e.g. breast and colon). These conditions can lead to a decreased quality of life for individuals and their families and create an increased economic burden on the healthcare system. In 2008, the direct medical costs related to obesity in the United States totaled nearly $147 billion. These health conditions also have great economic impact on society because of productivity and income losses due to absenteeism and premature death.