For Americans, the pie is the limit.
More of us are obese now than ever before, according to a new national report that examined state-by-state obesity rates over a span of two decades.
The report’s latest data, from 2010, indicates that every state but one — Colorado — is now weighed down by an obesity rate that exceeds 20 percent.
“Today, the state with the lowest adult obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995,” said Dr. Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America’s Health, which co-wrote the report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Despite being the lowest in the nation, the state’s obesity rate is a startling 19.8 percent.
Rates in a dozen states, mostly in the South, now top 30 percent. Mississippi won the dubious distinction of fattest state for the seventh year in a row, with 34.4 percent of residents meeting the criteria for obesity.
Obesity is defined by a weight-to-height ratio, called the body mass index. Indexes above 30 have been linked to myriad health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even some kinds of cancer. A 5-foot-8-inch person who weighs 200 pounds has a BMI of 30.
A mere two decades ago, America’s obesity landscape was much different: Less than 15 percent of residents in every state were obese. Since then, rates have swelled as much as 90 percent in some parts of the country.
“There was a clear tipping point in our national weight gain over the last 20 years,” Levi said.
“And we can’t afford to ignore the impact obesity has on our health and corresponding health care spending.”
Indeed, the report elucidates a clear connection between obesity and weight-related health ailments: The prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure have soared alongside American waistlines.
Diabetes rates now approach 10 percent in most states, and hypertension rates exceed 20 percent in every state.
Ethnic minorities, as well as those without a college diploma or living in low-income households, were more likely to be obese.
Public health programs, including Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, are making efforts to whittle waistlines by encouraging physical activity and nutritious eating — especially among children.
Katie.Drummond@thedaily.com
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More of us are obese now than ever before, according to a new national report that examined state-by-state obesity rates over a span of two decades.
The report’s latest data, from 2010, indicates that every state but one — Colorado — is now weighed down by an obesity rate that exceeds 20 percent.
“Today, the state with the lowest adult obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995,” said Dr. Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America’s Health, which co-wrote the report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Despite being the lowest in the nation, the state’s obesity rate is a startling 19.8 percent.
Rates in a dozen states, mostly in the South, now top 30 percent. Mississippi won the dubious distinction of fattest state for the seventh year in a row, with 34.4 percent of residents meeting the criteria for obesity.
Obesity is defined by a weight-to-height ratio, called the body mass index. Indexes above 30 have been linked to myriad health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and even some kinds of cancer. A 5-foot-8-inch person who weighs 200 pounds has a BMI of 30.
A mere two decades ago, America’s obesity landscape was much different: Less than 15 percent of residents in every state were obese. Since then, rates have swelled as much as 90 percent in some parts of the country.
“There was a clear tipping point in our national weight gain over the last 20 years,” Levi said.
“And we can’t afford to ignore the impact obesity has on our health and corresponding health care spending.”
Indeed, the report elucidates a clear connection between obesity and weight-related health ailments: The prevalence of diabetes and high blood pressure have soared alongside American waistlines.
Diabetes rates now approach 10 percent in most states, and hypertension rates exceed 20 percent in every state.
Ethnic minorities, as well as those without a college diploma or living in low-income households, were more likely to be obese.
Public health programs, including Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” campaign, are making efforts to whittle waistlines by encouraging physical activity and nutritious eating — especially among children.
Katie.Drummond@thedaily.com
RELATED ARTICLE
TIPPING POINTS: The numbers tell America's hefty story
