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Segments
Chapter 1: How Did We Get Here?
Track the history of the obesity epidemic through a series of maps from the CDC and hear from an expert about reasons behind the trend.
Chapter 2: Lifestyle
Meet 48-year old Randy who shares his story about following the typical American lifestyle and becoming obese.
Chapter 3: BMI
Learn how doctors use a mathematical formula to screen for obesity and why it’s important to know your BMI number.
Chapter 4: Family History
Obesity tends to run in families. One reason is due to DNA and the other is due to family culture. Certain ethnic and racial groups tend to eat high carb and high fat foods. Follow the journey of 56-year-old Rosey who has battled both genetics and family traditions her whole life.
Chapter 5: Stress
Chronic stress is another factor that feeds obesity. It can cause hormonal problems that lead to increased appetite and more fat storage. David shares his experience gaining weight while trying to balance career, children, marriage, and aging parents.
Chapter 6: Poverty and Food Deserts
People in low-income neighborhoods are more likely to live in so called "food deserts" - neighborhoods with limited access to healthy foods. 38-year-old Nikkie shares her experience trying to feed a large family on a limited budget.
Entire Program
About the Coverage
“Obesity costs this country about $150 billion a year, or almost 10% of the national medical budget. Approximately one in three adults and one in six children are obese. Obesity is epidemic in the United States today and a major cause of death, attributable to heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.”
Dr. William H. Dietz, M.D., Ph.D. Expert on fitness, nutrition and obesity
Past Director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- During the past 20 years, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States and rates remain high.
- More than one-third of U.S. adults (35.7%) are obese.
- 12.5 million children (17%) in the United States are obese.
- Obesity-related conditions include heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer, some of the leading causes of preventable death.
- In 2008, medical costs associated with obesity were estimated at $147 billion; the medical costs for people who are obese were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight.
- In the last ten years, the percentage of American adults who are 100 or more pounds overweight (“severe obesity”) has skyrocketed and now totals 15.5 million or 6.6% of all adults.
- Worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980.
- 1 out of every 3 adults in Ohio (29.6%) are obese and a recent study by the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that the adult obesity rate in Ohio could reach 59.8 percent by 2030.
In simple terms, overweight and obesity are defined as someone who has an abnormal or excessive amount of fat that may impair their health. Body mass index (BMI) is a simple index of weight-for-height that is commonly used to classify overweight and obesity in adults.
- a BMI greater than or equal to 25 is overweight
- a BMI greater than or equal to 30 is obesity
- a BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight
More often than not people become obese for a variety of reasons including genetic to behavioral, economic to cultural. Fundamentally, obesity results from people consuming more calories than their bodies burn, but it’s a far more complex problem than that.
In 2013 ideastream’s award winning heath team will present in depth, multiple media coverage that will examine the obesity epidemic. Stories will include:
- What are the different reasons people gain weight and are their weight-loss strategies better suited for the different causes of obesity?
- Why is the fat stored around the belly more harmful that fat stored in other parts of the body?
- What exactly is BMI, how is it measured, what does it mean and why is it important for everyone to “know their number?”
- What is bariatric surgery, how does it help people lose weight and do the risks outweigh the benefits?
- What are the origins of the obesity epidemic? When, where and why did it start and grow so fast?
- The cost of obesity and what some health insurance providers and employers are doing to provide incentives to lose weight.
- Personal stories of greater Clevelanders who live with obesity and others who have committed their professional lives to stem the tide of obesity in northeast Ohio.
ideastream’s multiple-media coverage of obesity is part of the on-going, award-winning health information series called Be Well and is presented in collaboration with The Plain Dealer and NetWellness, a consumer information website from Ohio’s three medical research universities (University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University and Case Western Reserve University).
Be Well: Obesity Resources
Be Well: Obesity Related Features and Coverage scroll for more
Staying Active As You Age
Regional News Stories
Posted June 13, 2013
Exercise helps older adults remain independent in their golden years.
New Cleveland Clinic Program Takes Different Approach to Weight Management
Regional News Stories
Posted May 21, 2013
The sessions use hypnotherapy to explore a person's relationship to food.
Teen Obesity
Regional News Stories
Posted May 6, 2013
Fast food and screen time can add up to weight gain for teens.
Exercise Protects Against Memory Loss
Regional News Stories
Posted April 23, 2013
You don't have to hit the gym to gain the benefits--even simple daily movement helps.
Fruits and Veggies Advocate Visits Cleveland
Regional News Stories
Posted April 18, 2013
Dr. Joel Fuhrman is speaking to a sold-out audience about his radical approach to diet and weight loss.
Spring into the Growing Season
The Sound of Ideas
Posted April 18, 2013
Curious about where to find local fruits and veggies? Tune in for the latest tips and trends.
Don’t Feel Like Working Out? Your Dog Might
Regional News Stories
Posted April 1, 2013
A new bootcamp aims to get people and their pooches in shape together.
The Mediterranean Diet Shows Benefits to the Heart
Regional News Stories
Posted March 13, 2013
New research shows a diet rich in olive oil and nuts may go a long way towards improving your heart health.
The Mediterranean Diet
The Sound of Ideas
Posted March 13, 2013
A Mediterranean diet rich in things like fish and olive oil may improve your health, according to new research.
Healthy Meals on a Limited Budget
Be Well
Posted March 8, 2013
Pat LeGrand - or Chef Pat to her students - is a registered dietitian.
On The Run: How Families Struggle To Eat Well And Exercise
Be Well
Posted March 7, 2013
Based on a NPR, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Harvard School of Public Health poll.
How The Food Industry Manipulates Taste Buds With ‘Salt Sugar Fat’
Be Well
Posted February 27, 2013
In his new book, Michael Moss goes inside the world of processed and packaged foods.
Obesity and Sleep with Dr. Carolyn Landis, University Hospitals
Distance Learning Program
Posted February 27, 2013
BioMedTech STEM Program: Students Translating and Exploring Medicine.
How ‘Crunch Time’ Between School And Sleep Shapes Kids’ Health
Be Well
Posted February 25, 2013
It's an important question for American families and the nation as a whole: Why do so many kids weigh too much?
Measuring Obesity
Regional News Stories
Posted February 25, 2013
There are lots of ways to measure just how much fat is in the body.
Behind-the-Scenes Preview
Be Well
Posted February 21, 2013
Anne Glausser previews her upcoming story about obesity, bariatric surgery and Type 2 diabetes.
Bariatric Surgery for Diabetes
Regional News Stories
Posted February 21, 2013
Weight-loss surgery helps patients shed pounds but also offers help to diabetics.
Be Well: Fighting Fat
Airs Monday, February 18 at 7:30 PM on WVIZ/PBS
Being overweight increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Incentivizing Good Health
The Sound of Ideas
Posted February 18, 2013
A look at how employers are trying to improve their employees' health and whether they are going too far.
Dr. William H. Dietz Interview
Be Well
Posted February 13, 2013
Dr. William H. Dietz talks with ideastream’s Rick Jackson about the obesity epidemic.
Childcare Centers Can Play Key Role in Preventing Obesity
Regional News Stories
Posted January 29, 2013
A recent summit in Cleveland discussed steps that centers can take to improve kids' health longterm.
William H. Dietz, M.D. “Expert on Fitness, Nutrition and Obesity”
Distance Learning Program
Posted January 28, 2013
Director of the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at CDCP.
Belly Fat
Regional News Stories
Posted January 21, 2013
Deep belly fat is worse for your health than fat stored elsewhere. Find out why.
Be Well: Obesity
Be Well
Posted January 18, 2013
Our health team examines the causes and effects of the obesity epidemic.
New Drugs to Combat Obesity
Regional News Stories
Posted November 21, 2012
Qsymia and Belviq were FDA-approved this summer.
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Be Well Programs
- About Blood Blood is our life support and with just a small drop, a large window can be opened into how our body is working... and not working.
- Addiction ideastream will delve into the mysterious and often misunderstood world of addiction.
- Attacking Allergies We'll look at why are allergies on the rise, and what you need to know about one of our nation’s most chronic health problems.
- Body in Pain We examine the mysterious problem of chronic pain, a condition that affects millions.
- Confronting Colon Cancer Audiences will learn about symptoms, risk factors, and local researchers who are studying DNA to find more effective ways to detect, treat and prevent colon cancer.
- Diabetes: The Constant Shadow The stories of Northeast Ohioans who cope daily with the "constant shadow" of diabetes will be revealed.
- Facing Depression We'll learn about the stigma that still plagues this disease, and how both patients and families cope with it.
- Fighting Fat We'll follow the story of a local man, William Baker of Avon, who has battled obesity his entire life.
- Heart Stories: Confronting the #1 Killer We share the stories of three Northeast Ohioans and their family members who have confronted heart disease, the nation's number one cause of natural death.
- LifeGiving Transplant Stories In organ donation, one family’s miracle comes from another one's loss. See the power of second chances, and how surgery is just the beginning.
- MiddleAging: Aches & Pains Aging is natural and normal - but what exactly is happening in our bodies? We’ll explore what’s happening in our eyes, ears, bladders, bones, skin, sexuality, hair, hormones, memory, muscles, and moods.
- Obesity Our health team examines the causes and effects of the obesity epidemic.
- Prostate Chronicles ideastream's David C. Barnett tells the story of his journey with prostate cancer.
- Sleep: A Wake-Up Call The United States is facing a national sleep deficit - and it’s getting worse. What can be done? We'll explore sleep, and why many of us don’t get enough of it.
- Surviving Stroke Every four minutes someone dies from stroke and it stands as the leading cause of disability in the United States. What exactly is a stroke and why do people have them?
- Watch Your Mouth! We highlight the mounting evidence that connects gum disease to debilitating and costly problems including diabetes and heart disease.
Podcasts
Tuesday Checkup
90.3 WCPN is collaborating with the Plain Dealer to bring listeners the latest health-related news from across our region.
Download Be Well Specials
Download the Be Well health specials to your Apple iPod, iPad or iPhone using iTunes.
ideastream Community Health Forums
The need for information about health has never been greater. ideastream is responding to this need by undertaking an ongoing health programming initiative. To inform this effort, ideastream invited health professionals in the region to participate in a series of discussions between June 9-18, 2009, about the local health assets and challenges.
Read the report about these meetings.
ideastream Health Funding
Funding for the coverage of health topics comes from the Dr. Donald J. Goodman and Ruth Weber Goodman Philanthropic Fund of The Cleveland Foundation; The Community Foundation of Lorain County; The Margaret Clark Morgan Foundation; The McGregor Foundation; and The Woodruff Foundation.
Be Well Funders
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