America's Expanding Waistline

Every year, the United States Center for Disease Control (CDC) releases a list of the fattest and thinnest states in the country. As obesity rises in America (according to the CDC, 35.7% of adults are obese), these statistics become less of an interesting fact and more of a dire warning for the health of the nation.

A person is considered medically obese when their Body Mass Index (BMI) is over 30. Over 1/3 of the American adult population is considered obese, and nearly 20% of children and adolescents suffer from this health issue. And according to the CDC, these numbers are only going to grow.

For the sixth year in a row, Mississippi had the dubious honor of being named fattest state in the country. With nearly 34.9% of the population qualifying as clinically obese, it beat the second place state, Louisiana, by nearly a whole percentage point. Louisiana reported with 33.4% of adults as obese. West Virginia rounded out the top three with 32.4% of its population qualifying as medically obese.

The thinnest states in the country were also echoes of previous years. Colorado walked away as the thinnest state, with only 20.7% of the population being considered obese. Hawaii came in second, with 21.8%. Massachusetts came in third with 22.7%, and Washington DC and New Jersey tied for fourth with 23.7%.

Looking at a map of these statistics, it’s easy to see that certain parts of the country have more serious weight issues than others. The South has the highest rate of obesity, with all three of the fattest states coming from that region. The Midwest followed, with the two regions combining to claim twenty-six out of the thirty heaviest states. The Northeast did admirably, but ultimately accolades go to the West as the skinniest region in the country.

Even the thinner states should be concerned by these statistics. Twelve states in the country have obesity percentages over 30%, and even the relatively slender Colorado has a percentage over 20%. To put that in perspective, a little over a decade ago there wasn’t a single state with an obesity level over 15%.

People suffering from obesity are at far greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer, according to the CDC website.

Obesity brings with it serious financial concerns as well. In 2010, it is estimated that obesity-related medical care cost $160 billion. Staggering as that number is, some maintain that if you include indirect costs pertaining to obesity that number skyrockets to $450 billion annually.

Despite the overwhelming information that proves the health and economic crises associated with obesity, many people refuse to acknowledge that this is a problem. But by 2020, many sources predict that 75% of Americans will qualify as obese. And unless people are willing to face these issues now, the situation will only get worse.

“Obesity has contributed to a stunning rise in chronic disease rates and health care costs,” said Dr. Jeffrey Levi of the Trust for America’s Health in a statement. “It is one of the biggest health crises the country has ever faced.”

[Pic via Flickr - davidd]