Continuous Improvement and the Expansion of Quality ... - NCQA

W E l l N E S S A N D P R E V E N T I o N
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obesity is responsible for more deaths in the U.S. than AIDS, all cancers and all accidents
combined. 1 Individuals are identified as being overweight or obese if their weight range is greater
than is generally considered healthy for their height. 2 obesity is measured by body mass index
(bMI), which estimates body fat and gauges risk for high body-fat diseases. 3 The Adult Body
Mass Index Assessment measure evaluates the percentage of adults who have their bMI measured
regularly to assess their risk for overweight or obesity, and/or risk for related health complications.
• According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), more than
two-thirds of U.S. adults are overweight
or obese and more than one-third are
considered obese. 4
• overweight and obesity occur from
consuming too many calories and not
engaging in enough physical activity to
compensate. This can be the result of a
number of factors, including behavior,
environment, culture and socioeconomic
status. Genes and metabolism can also
affect weight. 5
• As few as 31 percent of U.S. adults report
that they participate in regular leisuretime
physical activity: three sessions per
week of vigorous physical activity lasting
20 minutes or more, or five sessions per
week of light-to-moderate physical activity
lasting 30 minutes or more. Approximately
40 percent report no leisure-time physical
activity. 4
N AT I o N A l C o M M I T T E E f o R Q U A l I T y A S S U R A N C E
ADUlT bMI ASSESSMENT
the Case for Improvement
• According to a 2009 study by the
CDC and RTI International, a research
organization, 6 the direct and indirect
cost of obesity is more than $147 billion
annually. obese patients spend 42 percent
more for their medical care than those in a
healthy weight range—an average $1,429
more per year. The study found that
Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers
increased spending due to obesity from 6.5
percent in 1998 to 9.1 percent in 2006.
This amounts to a $40 billion increase in
medical sending through 2006, including a
$7 billion increase in Medicare prescription
drug costs. 7
• obesity can cause a number of serious
medical conditions, including type 2
diabetes, heart disease and high blood
pressure, and increases the risk of strokes
and certain types of cancers. 8