Print  email 

Nation's weight crisis hits home

Many Thurston County residents struggle with diets, pills and exercise — and some turn to surgery

By Keri Brenner | The olympian • Published January 21, 2007

• Links
• Comments (0)

THURSTON COUNTY - Debbie Riley doesn't mind that her bus driver's uniform hangs loosely on her body since she lost 45 pounds.

"I have my eye on a pink leather motorcycle jacket," said Riley, 48, of Tenino, who had "Lap-Band" weight loss surgery last August when she weighed 260 pounds. "But I'm going to wait until I get down to my goal weight before I buy it."

With 65 pounds left to go to reach her goal of 150 pounds, Riley is not alone.

According to statistics from the state Department of Health, the national obesity epidemic has hit Washington state:

- One in four Thurston County residents is obese, meaning they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, and one in three is overweight, meaning a BMI of 25 or above, according to state Department of Health statistics from 2004. Those numbers are likely to be higher now. BMI is a standard calculation based on a person's weight and height.

- Statewide, obesity rates more than doubled between 1990, when 9 percent of adults were obese, and 2004, when 22 percent were obese.

- More than half of Washington's adult population is either obese or overweight.

Nationwide, Americans spend more than $30 billion annually on weight loss products and services - many of which don't work, experts say. Most researchers contend that attacking the cause of the rising obesity rate is key, but they also agree there is no single factor causing the epidemic.

"We live in an obesegenic environment - one that encourages unhealthy eating," said Dr. Laura Streichert, of the Exploratory Center for Obesity Research at the University of Washington in Seattle. "What's often said is, 'Genetics loads the gun, but environment pulls the trigger.' "

Despite its reputation as a bastion of outdoor activities and rugged good health, the Northwest has caught up with the rest of the nation and is wired for obesity, health and fitness professionals say. "There's this PowerPoint presentation with a national map showing red states, where 30 percent or more of the population is overweight," said David Ross, a personal trainer at the Valley Athletic Club in Tumwater. "It used to be mostly just red in the South and East, but year by year, the red portion is growing and expanding to the West."