Obesity rates climbed in five states – Kansas, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio and Utah – in the past year, says the 2015 State of Obesity report, showing an expanding bulge in the portion of Americans who are excessively overweight. “Obesity puts some 78 million Americans at an increased risk for a range of health problems, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer,” said the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which produced the report with the Trust for America’s Health.
Americans are notably heavier than two years ago. The new report says 22 states have an adult obesity rate of at least 30 percent and 45 states have a rate of at least 25 percent. In 2013, 13 states topped the 30-percent rate for adults and 41 states had a rate of at least 25 percent. The highest rate now is 35.9 percent in Arkansas, compared to Louisiana’s 34.7 percent in 2013.
A quarter-century ago, in 1991, no state had an adult obesity rate above 20 percent. The lowest rate today is 21.3 percent for adults in Colorado. The State of Obesity report says that nationwide more than 30 percent of adults and nearly 17 percent of 2- to 19-year-olds are obese. The CDC defines obesity as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
The Trust for America’s Health saw a glimmer of progress in the fact that obesity rates remained stable in many states over the past year. “Stabilizing rates is an accomplishment. However, given the continued high rates, it isn’t time to celebrate,” said executive director Jeffrey Levi.
The states with the highest obesity rates were mostly in the South and the Midwest. Rates were higher among minority groups than whites, and nearly 10 points higher among middle-aged people than young adults. Women are more likely than men to be obese. More than 6 percent of adults are severely obese, with a BMI of 40 or higher, more than double the rate two decades ago.
Around 5 percent of children are severely obese by ages 6-11, said the report. “Prevention among children is key. It is easier and more effective to prevent overweight and obesity in children by helping every child maintain a healthy weight than it is to reverse trends later.” The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has committed $500 million over the coming decade “to expand efforts to help all children grow up at a healthy weight.”