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With everything that is available in the states, you'd think people would be able to get their hands on a salad once in a while... Do people have so little self control?
Date: August 28, 2007
Obesity Epidemic Continues To Grow
Science Daily — Obesity rates in the US continue to climb, with Mississippi at the top of the list for adults, and DC for young people.
Adult obesity rates rose in 31 states last year, according to the fourth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2007 report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH). Twenty-two states experienced an increase for the second year in a row; no states decreased. A new public opinion survey featured in the report finds 85 percent of Americans believe that obesity is an epidemic.
Mississippi topped the list with the highest rate of adult obesity in the country for the third year in a row, and is the first state to reach a rate of over 30 percent (at 30.6 percent). Colorado was the leanest state again this year, however, its adult obesity rate increased over the past year (from 16.9 to 17.6 percent). Ten of the 15 states with the highest rates of adult obesity are located in the South.
Rates of adult obesity now exceed 25 percent in 19 states, an increase from 14 states last year and 9 in 2005. In 1991, none of the states exceeded 20 percent.
The report also finds that rates of overweight children (ages 10 to 17) ranged from a high of 22.8 percent in Washington, D.C. to a low of 8.5 percent in Utah. Eight of the ten states with the highest rates of overweight children were in the South.
“There has been a breakthrough in terms of drawing attention to the obesity epidemic. Now, we need a breakthrough in terms of policies and results,” said Jeff Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. “Poor nutrition and physical inactivity are robbing America of our health and productivity.”
The F as in Fat report contains rankings of state obesity rates and a review of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity.
Other key findings
Twenty-two percent of American adults report that they do not engage in any physical activity. Mississippi has the highest rate of inactivity at 31.6 percent and Minnesota had the lowest rate of inactivity at 15.4 percent.
Seventeen states require their school lunches, breakfasts and snacks to meet higher nutritional standards than the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires (6 states enacted new laws in 2006-07).
Twenty-two states have set nutritional standards for foods sold in vending machines, aý lacarte, in school stores, or in bake sales in schools (9 states enacted new laws in 2006-07), and 26 states limit when and where these foods may be sold on school property beyond federal requirements (6 states enacted new laws in 2006-07).
While every state has school physical education requirements, many are limited in scope or are not enforced.
Sixteen states screen students’ body mass index (BMI) or fitness status and confidentially provide information to parents or guardians (8 states enacted new laws in 2006-07).
Survey on obesity
The report also contains a national opinion survey conducted for TFAH by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Inc. from July 12-16, 2007 (with a +/-3.1 percent margin of error).
Key findings about government’s role, school lunches, physical education and body measurement include:
Eighty-one percent of Americans believe that the government should have a role in addressing the obesity crisis. Majorities strongly support government working on proposals to expand education programs about healthy living, provide low-cost access to exercise programs, and reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods.
Fifty-five percent of parents with children under 18 believe lunches provided in schools are not nutritious enough. Sixty-six percent of Americans rated proposals to establish higher nutrition in school lunches as very useful
More than two-thirds of Americans believe children do not participate in adequate amounts of physical activity during the school day or engage in enough physical activity outside of school.
More than 70 percent of Americans rated proposals to increase physical education in schools as very useful.
Sixty percent of Americans favor a proposal to measure students’ BMI annually and confidentially provide this information to parents or guardians.
Combating obesity
TFAH recommends a comprehensive approach for helping individuals make healthy choices including support from families, communities, schools, employers, the food and beverage industries, health professionals, and government at all levels.
Some key recommendations include:
Think big. The federal government should develop and implement a National Strategy to Combat Obesity. This plan should involve every federal government agency, define clear roles and responsibilities for states and localities, and engage private industry and community groups.
Make healthy choices easy choices. Federal, state , and local governments should develop and implement policies that give Americans the tools they need to make it easier to engage in the recommended levels of physical activity and choose healthy foods, ranging from improving food served and increasing opportunities for physical activity in schools to requiring restaurants and food companies to provide better and more readily accessible information about the nutritional content of their products to securing more safe, affordable recreation places for all Americans.
Improve your bottom line. Federal, state, and local governments should work with private employers and insurers to ensure that every working American has access to a workplace wellness program.
Escalate research on how to promote healthy choices. Public health officials have identified a number of strategies to help encourage people to make healthier decisions about nutrition and activity, however, much more research needs to be done about how to effectively promote healthier habits.
The full report with complete state rankings in all categories is available on TFAH’s Web site linked from this page. The report was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Ranking by state
Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest.
Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2004-2006) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**).
Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.
Obesity rates in adults starting with highest rate
1: Mississippi**
2: West Virginia*
3: Alabama
4: Louisiana
5 (tie): South Carolina** Tennessee*
7: Kentucky**
8: Arkansas
9 (tie): Indiana, Michigan* Oklahoma**
12 (tie): Missouri**, Texas
14: Georgia; 15: Ohio**
16: Alaska
17: North Carolina**
18: Nebraska**;
19: North Dakota
20 (tie): Iowa, South Dakota**
22: Wisconsin**
23 (tie): Pennsylvania, Virginia*
25 (tie): Illinois, Maryland**
27: Kansas*
28: Minnesota
29: Delaware**
30: Oregon**
31 (tie): Idaho, Washington**
33: Maine*
34: Florida**
35: Wyoming**
36: California
37: Nevada*
38 (tie): New Hampshire**, New York
40 (tie): D.C., New Jersey**;
42: New Mexico**
43: Arizona
44: Utah
45: Montana
46: Rhode Island**
47 (tie): Connecticut**, Hawaii*
49: Vermont
50: Massachusetts**
51: Colorado*
State-by-state Overweight Children Ages 10-17 Rankings
Note: 1 = Highest rate of childhood overweight, 51 = lowest. Rankings are based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, a phone survey of parents with children ages 10-17 conducted in 2003-04 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals are available in the report. Children with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) at or above the 95th percentile for their age are considered overweight.
Obesity rates in children starting with highest rate
1: D.C.
2: West Virginia
3: Kentucky
4: Tennessee
5: North Carolina
6: Texas
7: South Carolina
8: Mississippi
9: Louisiana
10: New Mexico
11: Alabama
12 (tie): Arkansas, Georgia
14: Illinois
15 (tie) Indiana, Missouri
17: Oklahoma
18: New York
19: Delaware
20: Michigan
21: Florida
22: Ohio
23: Oregon
24: Kansas
25: Virginia
26: New Jersey
27:Massachusetts
28: Wisconsin
29 (tie) Hawaii, Maryland, Pennsylvania
32: California
33: New Hampshire
34: Maine
35: Iowa
36: Nevada
37: Connecticut
38: Arizona
39 (tie): North Dakota, South Dakota
41 (tie): Nebraska, Rhode Island
43: Vermont
44 (tie) Alaska, Montana;
46: Washington
47 (tie): Idaho, Minnesota
49: Colorado
50: Wyoming
51: Utah
Note: This story has been adapted from a news release issued by Trust For America's Health.
Copyright © 1995-2007 ScienceDaily LLC — All rights reserved — Contact: [email protected]
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This is one area where govt should not intervene. It would be totally ineffective because the corps that make $Bs from fat people are much more sinister and effective in getting people to stuff their faces than the govt would be in getting them to stop stuffing their faces.
With everything that is available in the states, you'd think people would be able to get their hands on a salad once in a while... Do people have so little self control?
Personally I think it has more to do with an inactive lifestyle. It's alarming to see these statistics. It seems that more coverage is given to things like unattainable body types of models than this issue which is sad.
Of course I would also point out that Americans work more than any other developed country. It probably leaves less time to be physically active.
That's funny, I just got off the treadmill....
...while inside sitting down before driving home and sitting on their couch with beer in hand. Also I would say that the 'tempo' of American life is much faster paced than in other countries. No time to stop. Much easier to pick up a Big Mac or stop at a 'casual dining' establishment for some monstrosity of a meal than bother to prepare a meal at home.
Most Americans do not live in urban cores where they can go to work, to shop, etc...by walking.
Also, in how many countries is the consumption of beer and hard liquor so prevalent?
You also have to credit the American mindset a little bit. We can't get enough. We want it all. Meal portions get larger and larger and loaded up with all kinds of unhealthy .
wow... I'm sorry but that's a bunch of bull . You're telling me that people in the states are getting fatter and fatter because they work too much and don't have time to eat healthy?? Give me a break!
I study and work, I leave home at 6 am and come back home at 10pm. I'm willing to bet I'm as active or more active than the average person out there (including Americans). How come I manage to stay healthy? How come I manage to stay fit? I'll tell you how, its not hard. STOP EATING JUNK! Its not even necessary to go to the gym. You're telling me its hard to find a place that will sell you a salad at lunch time? in the states? seriously??
EDIT: Just to be clear, I'm not talking Brad Pitt fit alright. I'm talking normal person fit, as in not massively overweight
This thread is making me want a Baconator from Wendy's.
"Americans work more than any other developed country."
Is that supposed to a positive point?
Only 840 calories.
Poor diet and no exercise.
You meant more inactive?I study and work, I leave home at 6 am and come back home at 10pm. I'm willing to bet I'm as active or more active than the average person out there (including Americans). How come I manage to stay healthy?
A relatively high metabolism rate.How come I manage to stay fit?
The problem is, a "salad" in the US can mean a few pieces of lettuce topped with a pile of cheese, fat laden dressing, bacon, and croutons.I'll tell you how, its not hard. STOP EATING JUNK! Its not even necessary to go to the gym. You're telling me its hard to find a place that will sell you a salad at lunch time? in the states? seriously??
Just Leave Us Alone, We're Hungry!
:
yee california aint obese.
I told you texans were obese.
Just look at midge, he doesn't care and thinks that this is a joke.
I don't care. I'm fat and I'm happy with myself. What's wrong with that?
Actually, I have a tendency to gain weight very quickly, which is why I pay close attention to what I eat. Anyone that says "I don't have time to eat healthy" is actually saying "I don't want to bother" period. It probably takes less time to prepare a decent, healthy small meal than it does to go in line for a Big Mac.
It entails actually going grocery shopping and then when one is hungry going home and putting together the meal instead of just dropping by a McDonald's, Wendy's, Chili's or whatever and satisfying that craving quickly and with someone else doing the work.
so basically you're making my point for me. Its not that people can't eat healthy, its that they won't bother. Faster to eat
most European ones it is. but they balance it with walking more, etc as you mentioned.
Uh, that was my point. Americans want it big and they want it now, with demands at home and work that create a fast paced lifestyle. For someone with a couple of kids to take care of your time disappears. Sure, this isn't to say that at the end of the day Americans are not responsible for their diet and lack of exercise, but it's a different environment and culture than is found in other locales.
well obviously. I understand that, and that is exactly also my point. I live a very fast paced lifestyle aswell, but I bother to eat right. In fact, I think the fact that I do live a fast paced lifestyle has contributed to me being fit. Its not something that should, by nature, be condusive to obesity.
Eating junk and being a couch potatoe however, usually does.
"Fast-paced" as in get up in the morning and rush to get ready and take the kids to school before going and sitting in an office for the workday trying to meet tight deadlines with perhaps a "working lunch" as a break before driving home and stopping by a fast food restaurant to pick up dinner. Then vegging on the couch for a while before crashing. Of course this fails to mention kids who come home and play video games or surf for 8 hours before going to sleep, exhaused. Sure, you can live such a fast-paced lifestyle and be committed to eating healthy and exercising, but the path of least resistance is to not do so, especially when so much of your time is spent driving and there are drive through fast food restaurants galore.
I blame it on FOOD PORN! Food network is from the Devil!
Simply Delicioso!
With a cute little butt like that, she ain't no Cookie Monster.
America's domestic food and entertainment industries are built on a sedentary population using their own personal vehicles to go anywhere. We want to eat while we watch movies such as Blades of Glory on DVD players in our SUVs. We view those who walk along our roads as low income service workers or transients. About a century or so ago heart disease was unheard of in the US, now it's one of the top causes of death. Even when we make it to the grocery store we load up on gobs and gobs of tasty and unhealthy . When we don't, we visit the purveyors of caloric goodiness, such as Kentucky Fried Chicken and their bowls of mashed potatoes, fried chicken, gravy, and cheese. Sooner or later world, you too will suc b.
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