Surging Obesity Rates in US Raise Alarm: 22 States Hit 35% or Higher, Says CDC

Surging Obesity Rates in US Raise Alarms: 22 States Hit 35% or Higher, Says CDC — An overweight woman walks at the 61st Montgomery County Agricultural Fair on August 19, 2009 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. According to health experts, obesity leads to greater risk of chronic illness like heart disease, cancer, stroke and diabetes, TIM SLOAN/AFP via Getty Images

(Photo: TIM SLOAN/AFP via Getty Images) An overweight woman walks at the 61st Montgomery County Agricultural Fair on August 19, 2009, in Gaithersburg, Maryland. According to health experts, obesity leads to a greater risk of chronic illnesses like heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes,

The CDC recently reported that obesity rates are rising dangerously nationwide. Alarmingly 22 states had at least 35% obese adults last year.

A decade ago, no state had obesity rates over 35%, indicating that the latest CDC data reflects the severity of the health issue in the United States.

Urgent Action Must Be Taken

Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, stressed the need to address this growing public health concern. She said, "Our updated maps send a clear message that additional obesity prevention and treatment support is an urgent priority," as quoted by US News & World Report.

The CDC study identified 22 US states with adult obesity rates of 35% or more: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The number of states rose from 19 in 2021.

The CDC's data for 2022 also emphasizes how crucial it is to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food alternatives, secure areas for physical activity, and stigma-free programs for treating and preventing obesity. The health agency recommends easier access to proven therapies like drugs and weight-loss surgery.

Obesity Increases Risk of Other Diseases

Data from the CDC shows demographic differences. For instance, 38 states reported an adult obesity prevalence of 35% or greater for black adults, 33 states for American Indian or Alaska Natives, 14 states for white people, and none for Asian-American adults among geographic groupings with sufficient data for comparison.

Obesity raises the risk of significant illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some malignancies, severe COVID-19 results, and poor outcomes for mental health. Additionally, it frequently entails societal stigma for heavier people.

Health experts promote lifestyle modifications that include healthy food, regular exercise, keeping a healthy weight, stress reduction techniques, and getting enough sleep in order to fight the obesity epidemic.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute suggests strategies to prevent overweight and obesity, such as The DASH Eating Plan, the Aim for a Healthy Weight program, and We Can! Ways to Enhance Children's Activity and Nutrition.

These are just a few of the resources and programs that offer practical pieces of advice to help prevent obesity and other diseases through a healthy diet and active lifestyle.