Obesity is on the rise in the U.S. and a new report reveals the percentage of adult obesity in different states of the country.
A major chunk of the U.S. population is obese. Unhealthy food habits and lack of physical activity are the primary reasons that cause obesity. Being obese can lead to many medical conditions such as diabetes, heart diseases and cancer. The U.S. healthcare department spends a lot of money each year to fight obesity; however, the percentage of obese people in the country is not declining.
Obesity in the U.S. has increased at a drastic pace in the last few decades. About three decades ago, none of the U.S. states had an adult obesity rate of over 15 percent. In 1991, the percentage climbed but no U.S. state had an obesity rate of over 20 percent. The maximum obesity rate was less than 25 percent in 2000. However, many states have crossed the adult obesity rate of 30 percent in 2013.
A new report [pdf] called "The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America" from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) reveals that adult obesity rate in Mississippi and West Virginia has crossed 35 percent for the first time in history. Hawaii and Colorado have the least adult obesity rate of just over 21 percent.
The report highlights that 18 other states including Texas, Ohio, Kansas, Georgia, South Carolina, North Dakota, Iowa, Kentucky and more have an obesity rate of over 30 percent.
The report also highlights that in 2005, every U.S. state witnessed an increase in obesity rate. In 2010, only 28 states experienced an increase in obesity rate, and increased only in 16 states by 2011. Latest report that shows data for 2013 indicates that the obesity rate was on the rise in only 6 states, which include: Tennessee, Wyoming, Alaska, Delaware, New Jersey and Idaho. However, all the states now have an adult obesity rate of over 20 percent.
The report points out that while adult obesity rate is increasing, childhood obesity has stabilized in the country during the last decade, which is a good sign.
"Early childhood is particularly important because research tells us that if you can avoid obesity early on, you're much more likely to maintain a healthy weight into adolescence and adulthood," per Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, CEO and president of RWJF, and Jeffrey Levi, executive director of TFAH.
Check out the adult obesity rate of your state by visiting stateofobesity.org.
