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America’s Five Fattest (and Getting Fatter) States

By: wowOwow (View Profile)

Among the report’s key findings:

Number of states in which adult obesity rates went up: 37
Number of states in which adult obesity rates went down: 0
Number of states in which at least 1 in 4 adults is obese: 28
Number of states in which there was no specific coverage for nutrition assessment and counseling for obese or overweight children in their Medicaid programs: 10
Number of states which explicitly do not cover nutritional assessment and consultation for obese adults under Medicaid: 20
Number of states in which laws require school meals to exceed USDA nutrition standards: 18

The full report also offers solutions to fight the obesity epidemic, including ways for state and national laws to enforce stricter programs.

“America’s future depends on the health of our country. The obesity epidemic is lowering our productivity and dramatically increasing our health-care costs. Our analysis shows that we are not treating the obesity epidemic with the urgency it deserves,” Jeffrey Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health, said in a news release. “Even though communities have started taking action, considering the scope of the problem, the country’s response has been severely limited. For significant change to happen, combating obesity must become a national priority.”

The full report can be downloaded from the Robert Wood Foundation Web site. Click here to read F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America.

First published October 2008

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Comments

Obesity is now considered a disease–not a moral failing according to Marilynn Larkin - U. S. Food and Drug Administration. Knowing this, how does it help those who are suffering from this disease?

I applaud Paula for taking the issue a step further and investigating the correlation between obesity and welfare programs. It must be added that the break down of the family unit also contributes to this epidemic. When I ask my students in hight school, how many times they have a family dinner where there is a home cooked meal and all members are present around the table at the same time, the answer for most is only 1-2 nights. Students fend for themselves and of course they take the fast and easy route. Parental role modeling and parental supervision play an important part in the answer to nutritional issues.

California does not recognize obesity as a disease either, but it does consider the ramifications such as heart disease, diabetes, joint disorder, and the mental health problems that arise. It is not an E-ticket, but anything that can be reversed with a change in lifestyle is not approved. This includes substance abuse as well. I agree that the taxpayers should not be responsible for a person's lifestyle choices when that get ill or cannot work. SSI pays out enormous sums to drug users, ex-prisoners and obese individuals. Houstonobserver sites one of the main problems in food. Teaching children to love an apple over an oreo is a challenge. I see a huge conversation here.....

A huge part of the problem is the obsessive American quest for convenience. Think about the last time you went into a multilevel building. What's the first thing you see? An elevator. You actually have to search to find stairs. Most Americans walk LESS THAN A MILE a day. People who take their children to my son's elementary school (the vast majority of whom live within a mile's radius) would rather idle in their cars for 20 minutes than walk or ride a bike to pick their kids up. Paired with a restaurant industry which deems it acceptable to serve 2000 calorie appetizers (why does such a thing even need to EXIST?) it is a recipe for disaster. We have too much choice in our society and not enough sense to make the right ones. A 500lb human being is a phenomenon which should be completely unheard of, and as a nurse, I can tell you plenty of them exist. I think every one in America should be assigned a personal trainer- it would cost less than our current "solution".

Why should tax paying citizens be forced to pay the price for people who over-eat? I don't think any states should be held accountable for it's citizens inability to PUT DOWN THEIR FORKS. Do a little more digging on your next blog and put in the fact that most of the fatter states, are also states with higher rates of FOOD STAMP RECIEPIANTS. If i was GIVEN a way to purchase food for my family, for FREE!!!!, i think i could make BETTER choices for my family. Fat IS inherited, children learn very early what tastes better than fresh vegetables, their parents teach them. I say get off the stamps, get a job, then maybe you can WORK OFF that Big Mac. But I forgot, its not discussed in your piece the employment or unemployment of all these FAT PEOPLE. Maybe someone should do a study on that!!!! Teach children to eat GOOD for them food, and also the proper PORTION SIZE for their age and activity level. Food is fuel for the body. You dont fill your cars tank then let it sit in the driveway!!!!