New population data show that in 23 of the 50 states, at least 35 percent of adults are obese, a startling increase in a decade, said the Centers for Disease Control. Before 2013, adult obesity did not reach these rates in a single state.
“This new data highlight the need for obesity prevention and treatment options, which start with building healthier communities where people of all ages have safe places for physical activity, and where health care and healthy food options are accessible and affordable for all,” said Karen Hacker, director of CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.
“Obesity prevention at young ages is critical, because we know that children with obesity often become adults with obesity.”
Obesity was most prevalent among Native American, Black, and Hispanic adults, said the CDC. The 23 states with adult obesity rates of 35 percent or higher were Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The CDC said the adult obesity rate was at least 35 percent in Puerto Rico and Guam.
Approximately one in five U.S. children has obesity, according to the CDC. Obesity was highest among adolescents, Hispanic and Black children, and children in lower-income families.