Americans' waistlines continue to expand, according to a new report. Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, issued July 1, 2009, by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Sixteen states experienced an increase two years in a row,
and 11 states experienced an increase for the third straight year.
For the fifth year in a row, Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity, at 32.5 percent this past year. Four states now have rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee. Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South. Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent.
Mississippi also experienced the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent. Again the concentration is in the South, with eight of the 10 states ranked among the highest rates of obese and overweight children.
Along with rankings of state obesity rates, the F as in Fat report reviews of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity. Some additional key findings include:
- The current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic.
Food prices, particularly for more nutritious foods, are expected to
rise, making it more difficult for families to eat healthy foods. At
the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming
increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and
underinsured continue to grow. In addition, due to the strain of the
recession, rates of depression, anxiety and stress, which are linked to
obesity for many individuals, also are increasing.
- Nineteen states now have nutritional standards for school lunches,
breakfasts and snacks that are stricter than current USDA requirements.
Five years ago, only four states had legislation requiring stricter
standards.
- Twenty-seven states have nutritional standards for competitive
foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores or in
school bake sales. Five years ago, only six states had nutritional
standards for competitive foods.
- Twenty states have passed requirements for body mass index (BMI)
screenings of children and adolescents or have passed legislation
requiring other forms of weight-related assessments in schools. Five
years ago, only four states had passed screening requirements.
- A recent analysis commissioned by TFAH found that the Baby Boomer
generation has a higher rate of obesity compared with previous
generations. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, obesity-related costs
to Medicare and Medicaid are likely to grow significantly because of
the large number of people in this population and its high rate of
obesity.
