According to recent data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity is rising in the US.
According to data released on Thursday (September 21st), obesity is spreading to more US states than it used to.
According to a survey conducted by the CDC and state health departments, out of the 50 US states, 22 have an adult obesity rate of at least 35%. Obesity rates are at least 20% in every state.
Increasing Obesity
According to data from the Behavioural Risk Factor Surveillance System, only 19 states had at least 35% of adults who were obese in 2021. This percentage has increased, according to new data from 2022, and as of right now, at least 35% of persons in 22 states are obese.
The percentage was highest in West Virginia, Louisiana, and Oklahoma, where more than 40% of adults were obese.
Overall, the Midwest and the South had the greatest prevalence rates of obesity, at nearly 36% each. Conversely, the percentage of obese individuals was roughly 30% in the Northeast and West.
Additionally, “notable differences” in obesity prevalence by race and ethnicity were discovered by the data.
About 35% of adults in 38 states who identify as black reported being obese. In 32 states, at least 35% of adult Hispanics were determined to be obese.
In no state did the percentage among Asian adults exceed 35%. While 14 states attained the 35% threshold for white adults. Additionally, you can also read about- 25 Most Obesed Countries in the World
How Did the Report Measure Obesity?
Adults having a body mass index of 30 or higher are classified as obese in the report. According to a CNN story, the information is based on self-reported height and weight measurements.
The National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion’s director, Dr. Karen Hacker, stated in a statement: “Our updated maps send a clear message that additional support for obesity prevention and treatment is an urgent priority.”
According to CNN’s reporting on Hacker, “however, we know the key strategies that work include addressing the underlying social determinants of health, such as access to healthcare, healthy and affordable food, and safe places for physical activity.”
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