Why Healthy Living?
"Modifiable behavior risk factors are leading causes of mortality in the United States. ...Poor diet and physical inactivity may soon overtake tobacco as the leading cause of death."
– "Actual Causes of Death in the United States, 2000," Journal of the American Medical Association
The number of obese adults in Colorado has more than doubled since 1990¹ and one in four of our children are either overweight or headed in that direction.² To stem the tide of obesity and associated chronic diseases, we invest our resources in programs that promote preventive measures including improved nutrition and increased exercise.
Working in a diversity of settings and partnering with a variety of organizations, our goal is to ensure all Coloradans have access to the components of Healthy Living – nutritious food, physical activity and disease management tools – because these are key to staying healthy. We work in the following areas to achieve this goal:
- Community-based Programs
- School Wellness
- Chronic Disease Self-Management
- Parent Education
- Healthy Living Policy
Sources
¹ Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "Adult Obesity in Colorado: Results from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System"; Health Watch; Nov. 2002
² Ogden CL, et al. "Prevalence of Overweight and Obesity in the United States, 1999 - 2004." JAMA. 2006;295:1549-1555