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(HealthDay) -Americans continues to fatten up with 35 percent in seven states, a new report reveals.
That's up to five years ago. Moreover, no state had a noticeable improvement in its obesity rate over the previous year, according to the report of the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, both nonprofit health policy organizations.
"Obesity is a complex and often intractable problem," said John Auerbach, president of the Trust for America's Health.
"Auerbach said," The good news is that there is growing evidence that some prevention programs are going to be helpful. news release from his organization.
States with obesity rates of 35 percent or more now include Iowa and Oklahoma. The others are Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia.
The findings are based on 2017 data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They represent a troubling trend, given that in 2012 no state had an obesity rate of 35 percent or more.
Now in every state, at least 1 in 5 adults is obese, according to the "State of Obesity" report.
Obesity's economic toll is monumental, the authors said. An estimated $ 149 billion is spent annually. Lowered economic productivity costs another $ 66 billion each year.
John Wiesman, the state of Washington's secretary of health, said, "Obesity is a major challenge in nearly every state, and we are doing everything we can to address it."
Obesity's impact is most serious in communities where access to healthy foods is limited. These are typically lower income and rural areas, including many communities of color, the report noted.
West Virginia tops the obesity wall of shame. More than 38 percent of adults have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or more. Colorado has the lowest rate in the nation, at just 22.6 percent.
Overall, 22 states had adult obesity rates between 30 and 35 percent, while obesity was a health concern for at least one of the 19 states, the report said.
U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data indicates that white obesity rates hover around 38 percent, compared with about 47 percent among blacks and Hispanics.
Policymakers, restaurant and food industries, and the health care system.
Among them: States should mandate at least 60 minutes of physical education or activity during each school day. Medicare should promote and cover obesity counseling. Also, hospitals should stop selling or serving sugary drinks.
Explore further:
U.S. obesity rate holding steady, but still high
More information:
The U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has more than obesity in the United States.
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