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* Guam adult obesity rate over 35% for the first time in the latest CDC data4
http://www.hsvg.org/ Guahan Global Foundation
Guahan Global Foundation P.O. Box 206, Hagatna, GU 96932, USA
(November 15, 2024)Urge worldwide action to save the Pacific Lots of evidence recently suggested that islanders’ voices on climate action have finally been heard and brought to the global stage. We look forward to seeing leaders, experts, and activists from the Pacific community move further at the 29th United Nations Climate Conference, commonly referred to as COP29 and now happening in Azerbaijan, to facilitate more significant worldwide climate action to protect those on the frontlines.   Many people must have noticed that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made a rare appearance at the opening of 2024 Pacific Islands Forum in August. According to UN’s press release, he declared in the opening remarks that “plastic pollution is chocking sealife. Greenhouse gases are causing ocean heating, acidification and rising seas. But Pacific islanders are showing the way to protect our climate, our planet and our ocean.”   Mr. Guterres stressed that the region urgently needs more financial support, capacities and technology to speed up the transition to clean energy and so countries can invest in adaption and resilience.   He also added, while the Pacific region is doing what it can, the Group of 20 (G20) most industrialized nations – the biggest emitters of carbon – must step up and lead by phasing the production and consumption of fossil fuels and stopping their expansion immediately.   “If we save the Pacific, we save the world,” the UN chief said.   The UN also released two reports on the sidelines of the forum. A regional report compiled by the World Meteorological Organization showed sea-surface temperatures in the south-west Pacific have risen three times faster than the global average since 1980. It also found that marine heatwaves in the region had roughly doubled in frequency since 1980 and become more intense and longer-lasting.   In addition, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concluded in 2021 that the global mean sea level was rising at rates unprecedented in at least the last 3,000 years as a result of human-induced global warming. And, the new UN report titled “Surging Seas in a Warming World” indicated “emerging research on climate ‘tipping points’ and ice sheet dynamics is raising alarm among scientists that future sea-level rise could be much larger and occur sooner than previously thought.”   The Pacific Islands Forum leaders eventually issued an official communique that emphasized “climate change continues to be a matter of priority to the Pacific region” and recognized “sea level rise is a sever manifestation of climate change that threatens Pacific communities.” Accordingly, leaders agreed to elevate the issue of sea level rise “politically,” including at the UN General Assembly.   2024 UN General Assembly in September literally arranged a high level plenary meeting on sea level rise. Leaders and experts recognized in the meeting that the existential threats, for example, livelihoods are destroyed, families gradually move, community cohesion is tested, and heritage is lost, are the hard realities many people in small island states and low-lying countries experience today, not the projections of a coming future. The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres therefore called for a strong financial outcome at COP29 to cope with threats caused by sea level rise.   Regarding financial outcome at COP29, it is worth noticing that this year’s conference is actually being called the “finance COP.” Following the historic agreement of creating a loss and damage fund at COP27 to compensate climate-vulnerable countries, COP28 has officially launched the fund. The finer details will be figured out at COP29 before the money actually starts flowing to nations in need next year.   Countries will also need to agree with a new global climate finance goal, known as the New Collective Quantified Goal. In addition to its total figure, COP29 will see discussion on several important terms of the NCQG, including who the donor base and recipients will be, how much will come from public and private sources, and whether it will be in the form of grants or loans.   As a member of the Pacific community, our foundation certainly looks forward to a global financial mechanism helping all Pacific islands’ climate mitigation and adaptation. However, we, together with many climate experts, also want to remind the world that the Nationally Determined Contributions, which outlines how a country will curb emissions, must be renewed every five years under Paris Agreement and the next round due is February 2025. So, COP29 is a crucial moment for countries to raise the bar and hold each other to account.   Nonprofit organization Climate Group also declared at its Climate Week NYC, taking place during the UN General Assembly in September, that the urgent and concrete action is needed to address the emission gap between what scientists say is needed to avoid disastrous climate change and what governments and business are delivered. They therefore called for governments, businesses, and the global climate community to focus on bolder annual to-do lists of climate action.   Their first Global To-Do List that governments and businesses can start taking action to drive results in the next twelve months consists of seven items including support workers to power down coal, unleash renewables, ban relining of coal-based steel furnaces, get serious on methane, stop ignoring energy efficiency, buy clean, and tax fossil fuels to fund the transition.   The UN chief Antonio Guterres actually also warned at the Pacific Islands Forum that the global 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development – built around the 17 goals or SDGs – “is faltering.” Climate Group also reminded the world that we have Net Zero carbon emissions milestone to be accomplished by 2050 as well. The representatives of Pacific islands must make sure that COP29 focuses on what the whole world needs to do right now to get on track.   http://www.hsvg.org/hot_503561.html * Urge worldwide action to save the Pacific 2025-02-07 2026-02-07
Guahan Global Foundation P.O. Box 206, Hagatna, GU 96932, USA http://www.hsvg.org/hot_503561.html
Guahan Global Foundation P.O. Box 206, Hagatna, GU 96932, USA http://www.hsvg.org/hot_503561.html
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Guam adult obesity rate over 35% for the first time in the latest CDC data


Guahan Global Foundation calls on our island community to notice that Guam is among 25 states or territories with 35% or higher adult obesity rates in the latest Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released last week. It is the first time Guam reaches this high category of adult obesity rate in the national data.

 

In the latest report, CDC highlights the issue of adult obesity rate over 35%, which means more than one in three adults has obesity. CDC emphasizes that, before 2013, no state has an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35% and the 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps for 48 states, the District of Columbia, and 3 territories, based on self-reported weight and height from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, shows a notable increase on the proportion of adults with a body mass index greater than or equal to 30.

 

Guahan Global Foundation looked into CDC’s database and found that Guam’s adult obesity rates from 2011 to 2014 were lower than 30%. Although People in Guam are no stranger to high obesity prevalence and CDC’s data from 2019 to 2022 did show Guam’s adult obesity rates have been increasing and already between 30% to 35%, the 2023 report is the first time Guam joins one of the highest categories of adult obesity rates. Guam’s adult obesity rate in CDC’s 2023 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps is 35.4%.

 


Guahan Global Foundation therefore wants to remind our island community to be aware of the continuously increasing obesity prevalence in Guam. Obesity is actually a disease that can cause many health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and severe outcomes from respiratory illnesses. In addition, the stigma and bias about a person’s weight can cause social and mental health consequences, such as anxiety and poor body image. A highest level of adult obesity rates our island has ever seen can significantly raise the risk for those health issues in Guam.

 

Guahan Global Foundation also suggests that Guam residents should kindly offer their support to overweight individuals in their families or friend circles to help them increase access to healthy food options, find safe and accessible places for physical activity, or reach out to stigma-free obesity treatment program if they want to improve their body weight. People are also welcome to check out Guahan Global Foundation’s TLC x TLC program, which combines US National Institutes of Health’s “Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes” and General Nutrition Center’s “Total Lean Challenge” to guide people properly reaching their weight-loss goals, at www.hsvg.org/hot_287522.html

 

CDC’s Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps also analyzes obesity rates by race and ethnicity. Guam’s non-Hispanic white adults’ obesity rate (25.5%) is relatively lower than the number of most states. The obesity rate of Asian adults in Guam is, much like most states, under 20%. While CDC found the adult obesity rates of American Indians or Alaska Native people were above 35% in 30 among 45 states, CDC did not have sufficient data to determine the obesity rate of the indigenous people in Guam.

 

Guahan Global Foundation’s search found a University of Guam research result published in 2008 showed 49% of Chamorro adults were obese while the obesity rate of Filipinos in Guam was 20%. We believe that new research on Chamorro adults’ obesity prevalence is needed. If the current number is even higher than 2008’s, a more aggressive intervention may need to be implemented.


(Press release | September 17, 2024)