New CDC data shows record 40% of adults are obese in these three states… so how fat are Kansas and Missouri.
More states are fatter than ever, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
In 2022, a record three states had more than 40% of their adults classified as obese — West Virginia, Louisiana and Oklahoma — and 19 states had rates over 35%.
For comparison, a decade ago, no state had an obesity rate above 35%.
The figures prompted CDC experts to say tackling obesity was an “urgent priority,” describing it as a ‘disease’ linked to ‘many factors including eating patterns, physical activity levels and sleep routines’.
The CDC says it is an ‘urgent priority’ to tackle the nation’s growing waistline
The CDC data was based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which surveys a nationally representative group of 400,000 adults annually to track the nation’s health.
To monitor waistlines, the survey calculates participants’ body mass index (BMI) after asking all participants for their weight and height. This data is then used to estimate the obesity rate by state.
Rounding out the top five states with the highest obesity rates were Mississippi, 39.5% and Tennessee, 38.9%. Obesity in both Missouri and Kansas were in the range of 35 – 39%
No state had an obesity rate below 25% although Colorado, our neighbor to the west had the lowest obesity rate in the county at 25%. The other states at the low end of the obesity chart were Hawaii, 25.9%, Vermont, 26.8%, and Massachusetts, 22.9%.
Dr Karen Hacker, director of the CDC’s Center for Chronic Disease Prevention, said: ‘Our updated maps send a clear message that additional support for obesity prevention and treatment is an urgent priority.
“Obesity is a disease caused by many factors, including eating patterns, physical activity levels, sleep routines, genetics, and certain medications. This means that there is no one size fits all approach.
“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.’
Data showed that the obesity rate had risen in every single state compared to just a decade ago.
By ethnic group, data showed Black and Hispanic adults were most likely to fall into the obesity category by state.
Previous data has shown that men are also more likely to be obese than women.
Adults are defined as obese if they have a BMI of 30 or over.
For comparison, a healthy BMI — calculated by dividing weight by height, and the answer by height again — is between 18.5 and 24.9.
The measure is flawed, because it often also classifies muscular people such as athletes as overweight, but health officials say it is the best they have to track the situation.
