By Stephanie Johns
Staff Writer

Dr. Claude Burnett, District Health Director, told members of the Morgan County Board of Health about four ‘top priorities’ as identified by the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH).
The GDPH has identified obesity, tobacco use, infant mortality, and immunizations as areas of concern.
For Morgan County, the leading cause of death for those aged 40 and older for African American and Caucasian males as well as African American females is clogged arteries. For Caucasian women age 70 and older it is their number one cause of death also.
Burnett shared that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in Georgia. These diseases include stroke, heart attack, heart failure, kidney failure, and diabetes, which is often related to obesity.
According to information Burnett provided, four keys to weight loss include cutting back or cutting out sweet drinks, desserts and candy, fast food, and salty snacks.
One chart he provided noted that eating 100 calories less per day, which is about one soft drink, and burning 100 calories more per day, which is about a one-mile walk, can lead to a loss of 10 pounds over six months.
When it comes to overall healthcare, Burnett said that the U.S. is 21st in the world among developing countries. He noted that we have less longevity at twice the cost.
“We’re not getting our money’s worth from the healthcare system,” he said. “The average person puts in about $100,000 to Medicare and spends about $300,000 after age 65.”

Printed in the February 14, 2013 edition