There is perhaps no more important public health issue facing the people of Maine than the combined problem of physical inactivity and obesity. The toll in both human and financial terms is staggering.

We know that 36 percent of Maine children entering kindergarten are already overweight or at risk for becoming overweight. In addition, nearly 38 percent of Maine adults are overweight and more than 23 percent meet the clinical definition of obese. Nearly half of all Maine adults do not meet the Center for Disease Control’s definition of being physically active.

As the Health Maine 2010 report from the Maine Center for Disease Control warns: “…we now have an epidemic of obesity that is disabling and killing us.” The report notes that poor nutrition and physical inactivity and the obesity that results are leading to heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, chronic lung disease, gallbladder diseases, sleep apnea, arthritis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and “a myriad of other diseases” that are killing us at alarming rates.

This disturbing trend, combined with an increasing older and aging population in Maine, will place extraordinary new demands on a healthcare system that is already strained to the limit. The only bright spot is that this is an issue that each of us can actually do something about.

That was the spirit in which more than 300 people from throughout Maine came together in Portland recently for an Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield-sponsored conference entitled “Reversing the Tide: Creating a Healthier Maine.” In addition to looking at success stories from here in Maine and put our heads together to come up with action items that should be priorities for our state. The importance of our efforts was reinforced by the work of three outstanding national authorities on healthy weight issues who joined us.

Dr. Francine Kaufman of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles is an internationally known expert on diabetes and obesity and one of America’s foremost pediatric endocrinologists. The author of the groundbreaking book, “Diabesity: The Obesity-Diabetes Epidemic That Threatens America-And What We Must Do to Stop It,” Dr. Kaufman reminds us that our ancient genes are colliding with our modern environment, especially in terms of the food we eat. She also draws the linkage between unhealthy weight and the growing incidence of diabetes – pointing out that one in three babies born after 2000 will have diabetes during their lives. That alone should be a wake-up call for all of us.

David Chenoweth, Ph.D., comes at the problem from a different angle – cost. The author of a recently completed Anthem and MaineHealth-sponsored study on the cost of physical inactivity, overweight and obesity among Maine adults, Dr. Chenoweth makes the case that these factors are costing Maine more than $2 billion a year in medical and workers compensation costs and lost productivity. That’s a huge cost that we all bear one way or another.

We can bring these costs down, though. According to Dr. Chenoweth, a mere 5 percent improvement would generate a cost-savings of approximately $123 million per year – just in the 18-64 year-old population. Dr. Chenoweth’s message is clear: even a small investment in more active lifestyles by Maine’s men, women, and children can achieve impressive returns.

Finally, Dr. David Satcher, the former Surgeon General of the United States and a champion of healthy lifestyles for all Americans offers a simple yet important observation: physical activity is the most underutilized intervention in health care today. At a time when new – and expensive – prescription drugs and medical technologies are driving the cost of health care ever higher, Dr. Satcher reminds us that just getting up off the couch is a pretty inexpensive way to improve our health.

There is much more to do and many voices to add to this effort. But we have sounded the alarm and will be gathering again in the fall to continue this important dialogue. For now, the message is clear: physical inactivity and obesity are taking their toll on Maine, and it’s time for all of us to take action.

Erin Hoeflinger of Kennebunk is president of Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Maine. Dr. Dora Anne Mills of Brunswick is director of the Maine Center for Disease Control.