Obesity

Obesity in Women

Data Highlight:

Oklahoma ranks 47 (of 51) for prevalence of obesity in women. Women in Colorado have the lowest rate of obesity at 23.8 percent, and women in Mississippi have the highest rates at 40.8 percent of all women.8

Why We Care:

As a state, Oklahoma struggles with rates of obesity that are higher than the national average. There are a variety of factors contributing to obesity in Oklahoma, making it a complex health issue to address. Some of these factors include the ability to access and participate in regular physical activity and maintain a healthy diet. Other factors, like community environment and economic opportunity play just as important a role.84 For women who do not have extra funds to spend on gym memberships, built environments can provide the opportunity to exercise. However, Oklahoma is not a pedestrian or cycling-friendly state; most of the state is rural and sprawling, and in urban areas consistent sidewalks and bike lanes are lacking. Additionally, many Oklahoma women live in food deserts, making it more difficult and expensive to access fresh fruits and vegetables.84 Lack of access to healthy food, adequate wages to buy healthy food, and environments that support healthy movement and physical activity comes at a cost for Oklahoma women affected by obesity. Some of the health consequences of obesity include high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Obesity impacts Oklahoma women’s physical, mental, and economic health.84

What We Can Do:

- Improve access to parks, bike lanes, and sidewalks - Ensure that communities have access to full grocery stores, and less “dollar” convenience stores - Increase access to community centers, public parks, and low or no-cost amenities that boost physical activity - Further subsidize sliding scale community fitness centers and gym memberships, allowing for economically disinvested communities to further participate

DEFINITION

Women reporting a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, for 2018.8

OKLAHOMA

36.8 percent

NATIONAL AVERAGE

31.9 percent Lookbook Vol. 2

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Lookbook Vol. 2

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Maternal and Child Health

As a state, Oklahoma cares a lot about the health of children and families. Often, it seems that Oklahoma overlooks the important role a mother’s health plays in the health of a family. When women are healthy, they begin and have healthier pregnancies, healthier births, and healthier babies. A mother’s regular doctor visits increase the likelihood the baby will be born full term. A birth closer to full term allows the baby to gain weight that aids in crucial physical and cognitive development, lessening the likelihood the infant needs emergency care once born and increasing the chances the infant will survive its first year. Without consistent health care coverage, many women can not regularly see a doctor or treat chronic illnesses causing women to begin pregnancies in poorer health and increasing the risk of complications, including death.

In 2018, Oklahoma ranked 47th for its infant mortality rate of 7.8 per 1,000 live births, and 47th for its maternal mortality rate of 23.4 per every 100,000 women. 23 When the data comprising these rates are disaggregated by race, the disparities revealed are appalling. In Oklahoma, Black women are nearly three times more likely to die of childbirth-related causes and Black babies are twice as likely to die than their White counterparts. This atrocious disparity can be addressed as most infant and maternal mortality is preventable. Some of the primary causes of maternal mortality are hemorrhaging, infection, heart conditions, and mental health disorders and they can be prevented if women have more consistent health care coverage and access. Consistent health care coverage through Medicaid expansion provides better access to prenatal and postnatal care, for both physical and mental health needs, reducing the likelihood of infant and maternal mortality.

Pregnancy, giving birth, and raising a child are physically and mentally demanding. Working to address social determinants of health like the ability to access health care, can be life saving for many Oklahoma women and children. Ensuring mothers can access continuous health care and easily access other support, like Women, Infants and Children nutrition program during the early stages of their children’s lives helps create stronger, healthier families.

Lookbook Vol. 2

p. 49