View Obesity Rates in your State
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IMAGE SOURCE: U.S. Obesity Trends / CDC
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Obesity rates are increasing or holding steady in some states, but did not drop in any single state.
According to a CDC news release, 26.1 percent of U.S. adults were obese in 2008, compared to 25.6 percent in 2007.
The data was collected through the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). A state-based phone survey that collects health information from adults aged 18 and over.
More than 400,000 U.S. adults were surveyed in the 2008 BRFSS. To assess obesity prevalence, participants are asked to provide their height and weight, which is used to calculate their body mass index (BMI).
A BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered overweight while a BMI over 30 is considered obese, according to the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on height and weight.
The results show adult obesity is most prevalent in Mississippi and less common in Colorado, which is also the only state where less than 20 percent of adults are obese.
Obesity is a major risk factor for several chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.
Trust for America’s Health, also recently released a report which found children obese or overweight weigh in at 30 percent nationwide. Overweight and obese adults account for 32.5 percent of the U.S population. Obesity among adults exceeds 25 percent in 31 states.
To view an animated map of obesity rates per state, click here. For the raw data released by the CDC, click here. #