Dangerously High US Obesity Rate Plateauing
12 Sep 2016 --- The 2016 US State Of Obesity report appears to have revealed a plateau in the climbing obesity rate. However, levels still remain dangerously high, with 25 US states sporting an obesity rate of or over 30%, and no states exhibiting an obesity rate below 20%.
Researchers believe there is some evidence to show that the rate of obesity increase has been slowing over the past decade.
Historical data shows that in 2005, 49 states experienced an increase, in 2008, 37 states did, in 2010, 28 states did, in 2011, 16 states did, in 2012, only one state did, and in 2014, only two states did. However, the researchers do stress that the methodology changed in 2011.
In 2015, the report showed for the first time in the past decade that any states have experienced decreases, aside from a decline in Washington, D.C. in 2010. Adult obesity rates decreased in four states: Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio.
Despite the apparent plateau, the remaining US states remained stable between 2014 and 2015, and increases were found in Kansas and Kentucky.
The 13th annual report found that rates of obesity now exceed 35 percent in four states, are at or above 30 percent in 25 states and are above 20 percent in all states.
Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36.2 percent and Colorado has the lowest at 20.2. In 1991, no state had a rate above 20 percent.
The difference in rates also shows geographical trends. 9 of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South and 22 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
10 of the 12 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South.
The recent national data also gave insight into trends about childhood obesity, suggesting obesity rates have stabilized at 17 percent over the past decade. Rates are declining among 2- to 5-year-olds, stable among 6- to 11-year-olds, but increasing among 12- to 19-year-olds.
The overall high obesity rate continues to put millions of Americans at increased risk for a range of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease and costs the country between $147 billion and $210 billion each year.
by Hannah Gardiner
