Is There An Obesity Epidemic in the U.S.?

Obesity has been in the news recently The role it plays in cardiovascular disease, primarily in the forms of heart disease and stroke, and the role it plays in diabetes, is indisputable. It is difficult not to notice this creeping phenomenon with the people we associate with or casually observe. Hopefully the attempts by private and public health officials to stem this increasing tide will be successful. Moe public education about health, nutrition, and exercise will be helpful. 

The 11th annual State of Obesity report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation brings dead-weight news regarding health progress for weight-loss in the country.

According to the most recent data, two states have adult obesity rates above 35 percent, 20 states have rates at or above 30 percent, 43 states have rates at or above 25 percent and every state is above 20 percent. Mississippi and West Virginia have the highest rates of obesity at 35.1 percent, while Colorado have the lowest rate at 21.3 percent. All 10 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South or Midwest. Northeastern and Western states comprise most of the states with the lowest rates of obesity. Between 2012 and 2013, six states showed statistically significant increases in adult obesity — Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, New Jersey, Tennessee and Wyoming.

You can click here to check out your state.

“Obesity in America is at a critical juncture. Obesity rates are unacceptably high, and the disparities in rates are profoundly troubling,” said Jeffrey Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH.  “We need to intensify prevention efforts starting in early childhood, and do a better job of implementing effective policies and programs in all communities – so every American has the greatest opportunity to have a healthy weight and live a healthy life.”

Other key findings from The State of Obesity include:

After decades of rising obesity rates among adults, the rate of increase is beginning to slow, but rates remain far too high and disparities persist.   

The national childhood obesity rate has leveled off, and rates have declined in some places and among some groups, but disparities persist and severe obesity may be on the rise.

“While adult rates are stabilizing in many states, these data suggest that our overall progress in reversing America’s obesity epidemic is uneven and fragile,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, MD, RWJF president and CEO. “A growing number of cities and states have reported decreases in obesity among children, showing that when we make comprehensive changes to policies and community environments, we can build a Culture of Health that makes healthy choices the easy and obvious choices for kids and adults alike. Going forward, we must spread what works to prevent obesity to every state and region, with special focus on those communities where rates remain the highest.” 

article source: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-report-finds-adult-obesity-rates-increased-in-six-states-273929081.html
photo credit: Facebook

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