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Texas Economy Feeling the Pinch of Overweight Population
October 16, 2008
Arlington, Texas - Oct. 16, 2008- While Texans are proud of the sentiment implied by the expression, "Everything is bigger in Texas," such pride is misplaced when it comes to healthy Texans.
Overweight Texans cost businesses $3.3 billion in 2005, according to the State Comptrollers Office. According to HealthyAmericans.org, Texas is the 12th fattest state in the U.S. with 64.1 percent of adults categorized as overweight or obese.
With rising healthcare costs and insurance premiums, Texas businesses are bearing the brunt of this unhealthy epidemic.
HighPoint Patient Services of Arlington, Texas, will offer free body composition scans in October for overweight and obese patients using GE's Lunar iDXATM system. iDXA, which stands for Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry, is considered by clinicians to be exceptionally accurate at measuring body composition because it shows exactly where fat, lean and bone tissue is located.
"Physicians and patients can monitor weight-loss with pinpoint accuracy using HighPoint Patient Services' Lunar iDXA," said Dr. Johann Van Beest, chiropractor and CEO of HighPoint Patient Services. "This becomes an important piece of the overall health puzzle because of the data provided. It can assist those who are struggling with obesity, anorexia nervosa, wasting syndrome caused by HIV/Aids, cystic fibrosis, chronic renal failure, and even help athletes make training regimen decisions to achieve best performance."
In a survey of Texas companies, employers reported obesity-related medical conditions as a major factor in the average 27 percent increase in healthcare costs in 2006. The most prevalent medical conditions reported were coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and gastrointestinal disorders. Most of these are directly or indirectly related to obesity.
Additionally, virtually all companies responding to the survey listed increased healthcare costs, lost productivity and increased absenteeism as effects of obesity. No one really knows the cost of these effects on business's bottom-line. In response, many employers offer employees incentives to participate in health and wellness programs.
HighPoint Patient Services is showing its support of healthy lifestyles and assisting with clinical diagnosis by offering free total body scans on the iDXA throughout the month of October.
Although this procedure is not yet reimbursable by medical insurance, many patients concerned about fitness and weight-loss are willing to pay for the $149 test to receive percentages of lean and fat body mass with pinpoint accuracy.
Those interested in a free total body scan should contact Bernadette Smith of HighPoint Patient Services at (817) 417-8782 to schedule their 20-minute appointment.
Texas Economy Feeling the Pinch of Overweight Population.pdf
