Letter from NJHCQI President

The New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute (NJHCQI) is a public foundation dedicated to addressing issues of health care quality in New Jersey. In this effort, we have collaborated with both public and private entities that have an interest in improved health care quality. Our strategy has centered on indentifying best practices which will improve quality and working with those responsible for care to implement these best practices. We also inform New Jersey citizens about those providers and health care organizations who embrace high standards of quality so health care consumers can shop thoughtfully for health care.

We now, with these same stakeholder groups, bring this collaborative, best practice strategy to bear on obesity and inactivity, a new crisis for our state and our nation. Consider the following:

• Approximately 62% of U.S. adults and 34% of U.S. children are overweight or obese
• According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC),”…the obesity rate has doubled since the late 1970s. The heavy are getting heavier. That’s particularly true of adults, but it’s also true of kids.”

Obesity has become epidemic in America and in New Jersey and the consequences are startling:

• Eight out of ten adults are likely to become overweight or obese as they age, putting them at a higher risk for hospitalization, diabetes, arthritis, and cardiovascular disease.
• One in three U.S. teens are physically unfit, and inactive/obese children are more likely to develop depression and poor self-esteem as well as cardiac and bone problems
• One-fourth of all trips are one mile or less, but three-fourths of these trips are made by car
• Obese employees cost $460 to $2,500 annually in medical expenditures and work absences
• Treatment of medical conditions related to obesity cost NJ taxpayers $39 million in 2003
• Obesity adds $93 billion to the nation’s yearly medical care bill

The good news is many recognize these health care risks and want to do something about it:

• More than half of parents say that their children want to exercise more
• 30 percent of parents say that their children want to lose weight
• 40 percent of Americans say they would communte by bike if safe facilities were available

Given the severity of these concerns and the willingness of people to do something about it, the NJHCQI has created a program to attack this problem: the Mayors Wellness Campaign (MWC). The MWC has provided this toolbox to you to help implement wellness programs in your community. This toolbox includes self-assessment tools, suggestions for program evaluation and a variety of best practice programs you can use immediately.

This effort could not have been undertaken without the wisdom and support of Bill Dressel, Executive Director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, who was an early advocate for bringing resources directly to communities. Also critical to our effort was the vision and leadership of Aetna who provided the initial funding necessary to undertake this effort.

We see this effort as an ongoing process of improving and enhancing the information and programs New Jersey communities can provide their citizens to improve their health and health care. I hope you will visit our website (www.mayorswellnesscampaign.org) often wil high expectations for the resources you will find there. With your help, we can build a healthy future for our state.

David L. Knowlton
President/CEO