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Judge pauses deadline for federal workers to accept Trump's resignation offer; CA state lawmakers take action to enact safeguards against federal immigration enforcement; Study shows air quality disparities from industrial ag in NC.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

Alabama task force tackles obesity crisis, explores data and solutions

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Monday, December 9, 2024   

Alabama leaders are zeroing in on the state's obesity crisis, which now ranks seventh-highest in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At a recent meeting, the Alabama Chronic Weight Management and Type 2 Diabetes Task Force reviewed decades of data showing obesity rates climbing from just 5% in the 1970s to over 35% today.

William Ashmore, CEO of the Alabama State Employees' Insurance Board, said the state employee population is seeing even higher rates at around 40%.

"We're an older population than the average group that's in the CDC information," Ashmore pointed out. "Also, just simply the type of jobs that we do as state employees sitting behind a desk, which certainly leads to more problems with obesity, overweight, and so forth."

He noted obesity affects not just individual health but also strains Alabama's economy, with rising health care costs adding pressure to public budgets.

To address the growing issue of obesity, the task force has been exploring the idea of expanding access to weight loss drugs. The State Employees' Insurance Board covers more than 100,000 members and despite health care inflation averaging 6% to 7% annually, the state has kept cost increases below 1%.

Ashmore highlighted funding gaps limiting access to obesity treatments like Ozempic or GPL-1.

"GLP-1 drugs are overall, safe and effective," Ashmore asserted. "The coverage under the SCIB, we cover it for diabetes. We do not cover it for weight loss, and the reason for that is simply the funds are not available to cover the cost of the GLP-1s for weight loss."

Ashmore added drug prices in other countries are significantly lower due to stricter regulations, highlighting another challenge in addressing obesity in the U.S. Leaders are calling for creative solutions, more collaboration and programs to tackle the crisis and improve health outcomes statewide.


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