Michigan ranks number ten among the states in the nation where two-thirds of adults are overweight or obese. On Wednesday, the governor had revealed major plans for promoting health and affordable healthcare.
The governor’s plan is calling upon residents to practice four key healthy behaviors; consuming a healthy diet, regular exercise, annual physicals and to avoid tobacco.
The governor had stated that there is a crisis in our country and our state of Michigan is health care. “We are not doing well”.
Snyder is requesting the residents to closely monitor four areas associated to heart disease. In general, poor health and skyrocketing health costs, raised levels of blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol along with measurement of body fat.
The state of Michigan spends over $5.9 billion a year just to treat heart disease.
To show his concerns of the areas concerned during the news conference the governor had weighed himself (194 pounds) and had his blood pressure take (142/80). The governor had announced his intentions of posting his health statistics on a website, this way the general public can monitor his efforts at trying to live a healthy lifestyle.
The governor also stated the states need to provide more affordable health insurance due to employers dropping health insurance for employees or are requiring employees to pay more dollars into their health insurance.
Snyder also stated that he wants physicians to monitor young patient’s body weight and report their BMI to a state registry (child’s identity will be anonymous) to be used to monitor pediatric obesity.
Governor Snyder in his first health care speech had called for creating MIHeath Marketplace. This would be a non-for-profit firm which would manage the sale of more affordable health insurance to begin on January 2014 for uninsured adults or those small businesses struggling to provide healthcare coverage. The governor had stated “We either do something our way now, and create a marketplace that is uniquely Michigan, or allow the federal government to do it their way.”
Through this new program around 520,000 Michigan residents will have coverage by insurance purchased through this program.
Among his other efforts outlined in the plan include nutrition and wellness programs in the state since two-thirds of the adults are overweight or obese.
Snyder has also shown sound efforts when he had spoke by having mandated insurance coverage for treatments for children with autism.
Currently in Michigan, around 800,000 children are considered overweight or obese based on height and weight.
The medical effects of obesity in children are similar to those in obese adults. Children who are obese are at risk for high cholesterol, diabetes Type 2, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and metabolic syndrome.
Sources:
Michigan Live
Free Press