by Alexis Cala, PICurrent Assistant Producer
Courtesy of quinn.anya
The nation’s annual obesity rankings are in and it doesn’t look too good. According to the report by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
The report shows that obesity rates have grown to 25 percent in 31 states and now exceed 30 percent in four states. As a comparison, not one state had an obesity rate above 20 percent in 1991. Once again it seems to be the worst in the south too (read our previous post, here). Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults and children are in the South.
Baby boomers also make up a large portion of this group. In every state, the rate of obesity is higher among people age 55 to 64 compared to those over 65. This could mean higher Medicare costs and even more spending as care typically costs more annually for an obese senior than a non obese senior (read the full story on The Associated Press).
There seem to be a number of reasons for us packing on the pounds. The recession may be one possible culprit as more people opt for cheaper fast food. Higher rates of stress, depression, and unemployment might be causing us to snack a little more too. Fortunately, you can start making healthier choices now for yourself and your children that can help you stay fit and healthy!
Read our previous post, Don’t Wait for a Cure, Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices Now, to find some helpful tips on eating right and getting active.
You can also check out our sister site, The Beehive, for a great section on healthy living. Find everything you need from how to calculate your BMI to healthy shopping tips you can use!
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Don’t forget that the main culprit here is High Fructose Corn Syrup. If people want to fix their obesity problem they need to eliminate this substance from their diets and it is in just about every processed food and definately in every sugary soft drink.
blessings to you for writting a post on this.