Friday, Sep. 03, 2010

Merced County ranks second in state for obesity, diabetes

UCLA research shows the problem is widespread in valley

If it's true that we look like the community we live in, we are fat.

A study by the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research found 34.3 percent of Merced County residents are obese, topped only by Imperial County.

The study, by lead author Dr. Allison Diamant, also found a high rate of diabetes in the county. Diabetes is a chronic disease marked by high blood sugar, and often goes hand in hand with obesity, according to the author.

Merced endocrinologist Dr. Maria Fernandez Renedo said diabetes and obesity are prevalent among certain ethnicities.

"They're very common in Hispanics," Renedo said. "Plus, they are high among African Americans, Southeast Asians and American Indians."

Obesity is more than twice as high among adults with no more than an eighth-grade education (30.3 percent in the state) as among those who graduated from college (14.9 percent). Adults living below the poverty line had a significantly higher prevalence of obesity (27.7 percent in the state) than higher-income adults (19.6 percent).

Regionally, the San Joaquin Valley had the highest prevalence of both obesity (30 percent) and diabetes (9.4 percent) in the state.

The rates of obesity and diabetes in California jumped 26 percent between 2001 and 2007.

"Obesity and diabetes go hand in hand with poorer counties," said Diamant.

Imperial County has the highest unemployment rate in the state, at 30.3 percent in July. In Merced County, the unemployment rate was 18.9 percent in July. Between 7.5 percent and 8.9 percent of Merced County residents have diabetes.

"We looked at the composition of counties, at race, poverty level and immigration status," Diamant said. She added that when immigrants from other countries come to the state, they have lower incidences of obesity and diabetes, but that soon changes.

"Their risk increases, and they start to look like everyone else," Diamant said.

Renedo sees and treats diabetic patients every day.

"If your friends are overweight, you tend to be overweight," Renedo said. "You feel like you are normal."

Part of the problem is diet and exercise, and part is genetics, Renedo said.However, both Renedo and Diamant believe people can change.

Diamant said the availability of cheap, high-fat and high-sugar foods leads to obesity, and watching what goes in our mouths can make a difference in our health.

Change has to start at the neighborhood level, Diamant said, and she believes Merced County can make a change.

Reporter Carol Reiter can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or creiter@mercedsun-star.com.