Obesity rates are still going up, up, up! A new report looks at obesity per state and finds the number of obese adults has increased in 23 states and did not go down in any states in the past year. In other words, we are fatter now than we were a year ago.
The report – F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009 – comes from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It shows Mississippi has the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5 percent – the fifth year in a row the state has topped the list. Colorado has the lowest rate of obese adults – 18.9 percent.
F as in Fat: Quick Stats
- Two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight.
- In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.
- In 1980, the national average for adult obesity was 15 percent.
State-by-State: Adult Obesity
1. Mississippi (32.5%)
2. Alabama (31.2%)
3. West Virginia (31.1%)
4. Tennessee (30.2%)
5. South Carolina (29.7%)
6. Oklahoma (29.5%)
7. Kentucky (29.0%)
8. Louisiana (28.9%)
9. Michigan (28.8%)
10. (tie) Arkansas (28.6%) and Ohio (28.6%)
12. North Carolina (28.3%) 13. Missouri (28.1%)
14. (tie) Georgia (27.9%) and Texas (27.9%)
16. Indiana (27.4%) 17. Delaware (27.3%)
18. (tie) Alaska (27.2%) and Kansas (27.2%)
20. (tie) Nebraska (26.9%) and South Dakota (26.9%)
22. (tie) Iowa (26.7%) and North Dakota (26.7%) and Pennsylvania (26.7%)
25. (tie) Maryland (26.0%) and Wisconsin (26.0%)
27. Illinois (25.9%)
28. (tie) Oregon (25.4%) and Virginia (25.4%) and Washington (25.4%)
31. Minnesota (25.3%)
32. Nevada (25.1)
33. (tie) Arizona (24.8%) and Idaho (24.8%)
35. Maine (24.7%)
36. New Mexico (24.6%)
37. New York (24.5%)
38. Wyoming (24.3%)
39. (tie) Florida (24.1%) and New Hampshire (24.1%)
41. California (23.6%)
42. New Jersey (23.4%)
43. Montana (22.7%)
44. Utah (22.5%)
45. District of Columbia (22.3%)
46. Vermont (22.1%)
47. Hawaii (21.8%)
48. Rhode Island (21.7%)
49. Connecticut (21.3%)
50. Massachusetts (21.2%)
51. Colorado (18.9%)
Our Nation’s Children
- The percentage of obese or overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
- Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent.
- Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent.
- Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of obese and overweight children are in the South.
- Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.
State-by-State: Obese and Overweight Children Ages 10-17
1. Mississippi (44.4%)
2. Arkansas (37.5%)
3. Georgia (37.3%)
4. Kentucky (37.1%)
5. Tennessee (36.5%)
6. Alabama (36.1%)
7. Louisiana (35.9%)
8. West Virginia (35.5%)
9. District of Columbia (35.4%)
10. Illinois (34.9%)
11. Nevada (34.2%)
12. Alaska (33.9%)
13. South Carolina (33.7%)
14. North Carolina (33.5%)
15. Ohio (33.3%)
16. Delaware (33.2%)
17. Florida (33.1%)
18. New York (32.9%)
19. New Mexico (32.7%)
20. Texas (32.2%)
21. Nebraska (31.5%)
22. Kansas (31.1%)
23. (tie) Missouri (31.0%) and New Jersey (31.0%) and Virginia (31.0%)
26. (tie) Arizona (30.6%) and Michigan (30.6%)
28. California (30.5%)
29. Rhode Island (30.1%)
30. Massachusetts (30.0%)
31. Indiana (29.9%)
32. Pennsylvania (29.7%)
33. (tie) Oklahoma (29.5%) and Washington (29.5%)
35. New Hampshire (29.4%)
36. Maryland (28.8%)
37. Hawaii (28.5%)
38. South Dakota (28.4%)
39. Maine (28.2%)
40. Wisconsin (27.9%)
41. Idaho (27.5%)
42. Colorado (27.2%)
43. Vermont (26.7%)
44. Iowa (26.5%)
45. (tie) Connecticut (25.7%) and North Dakota (25.7%) and Wyoming (25.7%)
48. Montana (25.6%)
49. Oregon (24.3%)
50. (tie) Minnesota (23.1%) and Utah (23.1%)
The report says the tough economy could make the obesity epidemic even worse. Food prices, especially for more nutritious foods, are expected to go up, making it harder for families to eat a healthy diet. Plus rates of depression, anxiety, and stress – which are linked to obesity for many people – are also increasing because of the strain of the recession.
You can see the full report here.
Compare it to last year’s report here.
[Photo Credit: stockxpert]
F as in Freakin’ Ridiculous!
F as in Find a way to move your body
F as in Forget about that extra piece of cake
F as in Find more Food?…NOT!
This is so sad. It makes me wish I could *do* something to make a difference, especially for the folks who WANT to eat healthier, but live on mac-and-cheese budgets.
F as in full-sized. It’s obvious, we’re poisoning ourselves. We can’t escape our own (lack of) nutritional system. Exercise is probably historically worse…but nutrition is undoubtedly much, much worse and showing no real signs of improving.
HB
If we say we’re an evolving society (and I believe we are), then why, if this wasn’t such a problem in 1980, is it today? We have more access to fitness centers, and have more knowledge about the benefits of exercising. We have more info on food packaging. Why is this so hard??
Is it because the tv has replaced actual engaging activity? (I remember 1980 – we had three channels on tv, and one of those came in good…so, we didn’t watch much). Is it because there’s a fast food restaurant on every corner? Is it because we’re so busy watching tv and eating out, that we don’t have time to grow our own food? Is it because we’ve become lazy?
I think the answers to all of these lie in how we live our lives. We have a choice. I’m choosing healthy (healthy feels so much better sitting on the sofa eating french fries from the local burger joint…)
This is so disturbing. This is just like the movie Wall-E. It’s going to get to the point where if you are in shape, you will totally be the odd man out.
we saw this on the news last night. 2/3s! wowsa.
I think a BIG chunk has to do with stressful eating over this horrible economic time, but I think the biggest reason is the chunky butt kiddos that are never outside, play video games and eat crap and sugar drinks all day.
I wasn’t allowed to have pop but at friends houses when I was little, we drank sugar free koolaide or water, and we had 2 snacks a day, one could be anything and the other had to be fruit. I ate fruit usually at both. Kids can’t learn if they aren’t taught the right way. sooo sad!
Yum Yucky – Now, can you find a way to convince everyone???????
Cammy – It makes me very sad, too, especially when you look at how much lower the obesity rates were in the 80’s and 90’s. It just seems so obvious that things CAN change, but will they?
Lance – It’s so frustrating to me, too, and makes me so sad that it keeps getting worse! It’s like we’ve just turned into a nation of over-eaters – those HUGE portions everywhere – and maybe some people don’t care? I’m not sure…
Katie – I know. When will it stop???
Karissa – Things sure are a lot different now than they were when we were kids, huh? I don’t get why it has to be this way.
That’s awful. Thanks for linking to the report… I hope that things start turning around and changing SOON. All we can do is keep blogging about it and spread the awareness, right?
Seriously, Sagan – What more can we do??? As much as I write about it, I am still stunned when I see reports like this – just because I keep thinking there should at least be a glimmer of things letting up.
This is so disturbing! Those poor people! I don’t understand how soooo many people can be out of shape an lazy! My grandma, for example, is an obese stress eater. After my mother passed away and they ran low on money, she must have put on 30-50 pounds in less than a year. (She was already obese to begin with). She will find any excuse not to walk up ONE flight of stairs and then complain her back hurts from all the extra weight….?
I just don’t understand at all. I used to be an overweight preteen, but now i’m 19 and in the best shape of my life and I feel amazing. Don’t people want to look and FEEL their best? You only get ONE life and ONE body, make the most of it!
I wish I could do something. Maybe I will write to fruit and vegetable companies and tell them to advertise their products on the television more, where the majority of American love the spend their time anyway…
Thanks for this post…I’m just reading it now…glad I live in such a healthy state…Hawaii
It’s so refreshing that my child can swim and run free everyday in the sunshine…why can’t there be more healthy fast food places…I want to be able to pull up and get an organic salad and grilled chicken…I will pay more $ for it…I think there is a demand for it!
Mom’s Best Bets – Thanks so much for stopping by! I am soooooo jealous that you live in Hawaii, but glad for you.
I love your idea of healthy fast food restaurants – I would totally go!
As someone who has been considered morbidly obese since I was 12, I find that people who are bigger are bigger for lots of reasons that skinny people have no clue about. I think that a lot of us larger Americans are larger because both of a genetic predisposition (chemically and emotionally) and some huge misconceptions about diet. I’ve tried dieting (doesn’t work). Whenever I get down 50 pounds, it compromises my immune system and I get sick. The doctor then prescribes steroids and I balloon up. Everyone is different and until everyone can both afford to be skinny and have the knowledge to be and stay skinny, we’re just going to have to accept the fact that everyone is not created equally.