New Report: «state» is «ranking» Obese State in the Nation

Washington, D.C. July 7, 2011 – «state» was named the «rankinglower» obese state in the country, according to the eighth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2011, a report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). «state»’s adult obesity rate is «obesityrate».

Adult obesity rates increased in 16 states in the past year «increased» and did not decline in any state. Twelve states «currentover30» now have obesity rates over 30 percent. Four years ago, only one state was above 30 percent. Obesity rates exceed 25 percent in more than two-thirds of states (38 states)

This year, for the first time, report examined how the obesity epidemic has grown over the past two decades:

• Over the past 15 years, seven states have doubled their rate of obesity. Another 10 states nearly doubled their obesity rate, with increased of at least 90 percent, and 22 more states saw obesity rates increase by at least 80 percent
• Fifteen years ago, «state» had an obesity rate of «15yrsago» and was ranked «15yrsranks» obese state in the nation. The obesity rate in «state» «percentincrease15yrs»
• Since 1995, obesity rates have grown the fastest in Oklahoma, Alabama, and Tennessee, and have grown the slowest in Washington, D.C., Colorado, and Connecticut.
• Ten years ago, no state had an obesity rate above 24 percent, and now 43 states have higher obesity rates than the state that was the highest in 2000.

“Today, the state with the lowest adult obesity rate would have had the highest rate in 1995,” said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH. “There was a clear tipping point in our national weight gain over the last twenty years, and we can’t afford to ignore the impact obesity has on our health and corresponding health care spending.”

In addition, for many states, their combined rates for overweight and obesity, and rates of chronic health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, have increased dramatically over the past two decades. For «state», long-term trends in rates include:

• Fifteen years ago, «state» had a combined obesity and overweight rate of «15yrsobesity». Ten years ago, it was «10yrsobesity». Now, the combined rate is «currentobesity».
• Diabetes rates have doubled in ten states «diabetesdouble» in the past 15 years. In 1995, «state» had a diabetes rate of «1995Diabetes». Now the diabetes rate is «currentdiabetes».
• Fifteen years ago, «state» had a hypertension rate of «15yrshyper». Now, the rate is «currenthyper».

Racial and ethnic minority adults, and those with less education or who make less money, continue to have the highest overall obesity rates:

• Adult obesity rates in «state» were «Black» for Blacks. Nationally, obesity rates for Blacks topped 40 percent in 15 states, 35 percent in 35 states, and 30 percent in 42 states and D.C.
• Rates of adult obesity for Latinos were «Latino» in «state». National Latino obesity rates were above 35 percent in four states (Mississippi, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Texas) and at 30 percent and above in 23 states.
• Meanwhile, rates of adult obesity for Whites topped 30 percent in just four states (Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and West Virginia) and no state had a rate higher than 32.1 percent. The rates of adult obesity for Whites were «WHITES» in «state».
• Nearly 33 percent of adults who did not graduate high school are obese compared with 21.5 percent of adults who graduated from college or a technical college.
• More than 33 percent of adults who earn less than $15,000 per year were obese compared with 24.6 percent of adults who earn $50,000 or more per year.

The most recent state-by-state data on obesity rates for youth 10 to 17 are from 2007 and also were included in last year’s report. According to the data, «Children» of children and adolescents in «state» are considered obese.

“The information in this report should spur us all – individuals and policymakers alike – to redouble our efforts to reverse this debilitating and costly epidemic,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A, RWJF president and CEO. “Changing policies is an important way to provide children and families with vital resources and opportunities to make healthier choices easier in their day-to-day lives.”

To enhance the prevention of obesity and related diseases, TFAH and RWJF provide a list of recommended actions in the report. Some key policy recommendations include:

The report also examines a range of policy efforts that the federal and state governments are taking to prevent and control obesity.

Some state efforts include:

• Twenty states «schoolmealstandards» now have school meal standards that are stricter than the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements.
• Twenty-nine states «competitivefoods» limit when and where competitive foods (foods and beverages sold outside of the formal meal programs, through à la carte lines, vending machines and school stores) may be sold beyond federal requirements.
• Every state has some physical education requirements for students. However, these requirements are often limited or not enforced, and many programs are inadequate.
• Twenty-one states «BMI» now have legislation that requires body mass index (BMI) screening or weight-related assessments other than BMI for children and adolescents. Seven years ago, only four states required BMI screening or other weight-related assessments.
• Twenty-six states «farmtoschool» have now established farm-to-school programs. Five years ago, only New York had a law establishing a farm-to-school program.
• Sixteen states «completestreets» now have Complete Streets laws. “Complete streets” are roads designed to allow all users – bicyclists, pedestrians, drivers, and public transit users – to access them safely. Seven years ago only five states had these laws.

Some federal efforts include:

• The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) authorizes new resources and strategic planning initiatives aimed at reducing obesity and increasing opportunities for physical activity and improved nutrition, including the Prevention Fund, the National Prevention Strategy, Community Transformation Grants, greater coverage for preventive services, a Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project, and strategic new approaches through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation.
• The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, the Agriculture Appropriations Act, and the Healthy Food Financing Initiative also include a number of important nutrition and obesity-related provisions

This year’s report also includes a series of recommendations from TFAH and RWJF on how policymakers and the food and beverage industry can help reverse the obesity epidemic.

The recommendations for policymakers include:

1. Protect the Prevention and Public Health Fund: TFAH and RWJF recommend that the fund not be cut, that a significant portion be used for obesity prevention, and that it not be used to offset or justify cuts to other Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) programs.
2. Implementing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act: TFAH and RWJF recommend that the USDA issue a final rule as swiftly as possible regarding school meal regulations and issue strong standards for competitive food and beverages.
3. Implementing the National Physical Activity Plan: TFAH and RWJF recommend full implementation of the policies, programs, and initiatives outlined in the National Physical Activity Plan. This includes a grassroots advocacy effort; a public education program; a national resource center; a policy development and research center; and dissemination of best practices.
4. Restoring Cuts to Vital Programs: TFAH and RWJF recommend that the $833 million in cuts made in the fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution be restored and that programs to improve nutrition in child care settings and nutrition assistance programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children be fully funded and carried out. If fully funded these programs could have a major impact on reducing obesity.

“Creating healthy environments is key to reversing the obesity epidemic, particularly for children,” remarked Dr. Lavizzo-Mourey. “When children have safe places to walk, bike and play in their communities, they’re more likely to be active and less likely to be obese. It’s the same with healthy food: when communities have access to healthy affordable foods, families eat better.”

Additionally, for the food and beverage industry, TFAH and RWJF recommend that industry should adopt strong, consistent standards for food marketing similar to those proposed in April 2011 by the Interagency Working Group, composed of representatives from four federal agencies – the Federal Trade Commission, CDC, Food and Drug Administration and the USDA – and work to implement the other recommendations set forth in the 2005 Institute of Medicine report on food marketing to children and youth.

The full report with state rankings in all categories is available on TFAH’s website at www.healthyamericans.org and RWJF’s website at www.rwjf.org. The report was supported by a grant from RWJF.

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2008-2010) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**), states with statistically significant increases for three years in a row are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.

1.Mississippi (34.4%); 2. Alabama (32.3%); 3. West Virginia* (32.2%); 4. Tennessee (31.9%); 5. Louisiana (31.6%); 6. Kentucky** (31.5%); 7. Oklahoma** (31.4%); 8. South Carolina* (30.9%); 9. Arkansas (30.6%); 10. Michigan* (30.5%); 11. Missouri* (30.3%); 12. Texas** (30.1%); 13. Ohio (29.6%); 14. North Carolina (29.4%); 15. Indiana* (29.1%); 16. Kansas** (29.0%); 17. (tie) Georgia (28.7%); and South Dakota (28.7%); 19. Pennsylvania (28.5%); 20. Iowa (28.1%); 21. (tie) Delaware (28.0%); and North Dakota (28.0%); 23. Illinois** (27.7%); 24. Nebraska (27.6%); 25. Wisconsin (27.4%); 26. Maryland (27.1%); 27. Maine** (26.5%); 28. Washington (26.4%); 29. Florida** (26.1%); 30. (tie) Alaska (25.9%); and Virginia (25.9%); 32. Idaho (25.7%); 33. (tie) New Hampshire (25.6%); and New Mexico (25.6%); 35. (tie) Arizona (25.4%); Oregon (25.4%); and Wyoming (25.4%); 38. Minnesota (25.3%); 39. Nevada (25.0%); 40. California (24.8%); 41. New York (24.7%); 42. Rhode Island** (24.3%); 43. New Jersey (24.1%); 44. Montana (23.8%); 45. Vermont** (23.5%); 46. Utah (23.4%); 47. Hawaii (23.1%); 48. Massachusetts** (22.3%); 49. Connecticut (21.8%); 50. District of Columbia (21.7%); 51. Colorado* (19.8%).

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS IN 1995

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Data for this analysis was obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset (publicly available on the web at www.cdc.gov/brfss). States that have increased their obesity rate by at least 80 percent since 1995 are noted with an asterisk (*), states that have increased their obesity rate by at least 90 percent are noted with two asterisks (**), states that have doubled their obesity rate over the past 15 years are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.

1. Mississippi (19.4%); 2. Indiana (18.3%); 3. West Virginia* (17.7%); 4. Michigan (17.2%); 5. (tie) Arkansas* (17.0%); and Louisiana* (17.0%); 7. Missouri (16.9%); 8. (tie) Kentucky** (16.6%); and South Carolina* (16.6%); 10. (tie) Tennessee** (16.4%); and Wisconsin (16.4%); 12. North Carolina* (16.3%); 13. (tie) Iowa (16.2%); and Pennsylvania (16.2%); 15. Ohio* (16.1%); 16. Texas* (16.0%); 17. (tie) Alabama*** (15.7%); and Alaska (15.7%); 19. Illinois* (15.3%); 20 (tie) Delaware* (15.2%); Nebraska* (15.2%); and North Dakota* (15.2%); 23. Maryland* (15.0%); 24. Minnesota (14.6%); 25. South Dakota** (14.5%); 26. (tie) Florida* (14.3%); Maine* (14.3%); and New York (14.3%); 29. Virginia* (14.2%); 30. Idaho* (14.1%); 31. Wyoming* (14.0%); 32. (tie) California (13.9%); and Washington** (13.9%); 34. Georgia*** (13.8%); 35. Oregon* (13.6%); 36. Kansas*** (13.5%); 37. Vermont (13.4%); 38. Nevada** (13.1%); 39. Montana* (13.0%); 40. (tie) New Hampshire (12.9%); and Oklahoma*** (12.9%); 42. (tie) District of Columbia (12.8%); and Rhode Island** (12.8%); 44. Arizona*** (12.6%); 45. New Jersey** (12.3%); 46. Utah** (12.0%); 47. Connecticut* (11.8%); 48 (tie) Massachusetts** (11.6%); and New Mexico*** (11.6%); 50. Colorado* (10.7%); 51. Hawaii*** (10.6%).

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY GROWTH RANKS SINCE 1995

Note: 1 = Fastest rate of growth in adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of growth in adult obesity. Data for this analysis was obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) dataset (publicly available on the web at www.cdc.gov/brfss).

1. Oklahoma; 2. Alabama; 3. Tennessee; 4. Kansas; 5. Mississippi; 6. (tie) Georgia; and Kentucky; 8. (tie) Louisiana; and West Virginia; 10. South Carolina; 11. South Dakota; 12. (tie) New Mexico; and Texas; 14. Arkansas; 15. Ohio; 16. Missouri; 17. Michigan; 18. North Carolina; 19. (tie) Arizona; Delaware; and North Dakota; 22. New Hampshire; 23. (tie) Hawaii; and Washington; 25. (tie) Illinois and Nebraska; 27. Pennsylvania; 28. Maine; 29. Maryland; 30. Nevada; 31. Iowa; 32. (tie) Florida; New Jersey; and Oregon; 35. Virginia; 36. (tie) Idaho; and Rhode Island; 38. Wyoming; 39. Utah; 40. Wisconsin; 41. California 42. (tie) Indiana; and Montana; 44. (tie) Massachusetts; and Minnesota; 46. New York; 47. Alaska; 48. Vermont; 49. Connecticut; 50. Colorado; 51. District of Columbia.

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Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. www.healthyamericans.org

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need–the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

New Report: «state» Ranks «rank» «mostleast» Obese State in the Nation

Washington, D.C. June 29, 2010 – «state» was named the «rank1» «mostleast1» obese state in the country, according to the seventh annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010 report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). The state’s adult obesity rate is «obesityrate» percent, and, in «state» «manwomen» are more obese than «manwomen1» at «manwomenperc» percent. Now more than two-thirds of states (38) have adult obesity rates above 25 percent.

The report highlights troubling racial and ethnic disparities in obesity rates. For instance, adult obesity rates for Blacks and Latinos were higher than for Whites in at least 40 states and the District of Columbia. In «state», the adult obesity rate was «blacks» percent among Blacks and «latinos» percent among Latinos, compared with «whites» percent among Whites.

In addition, the report shows regional and income disparities in the obesity epidemic. For example, 10 out of the 11 states with the highest rates of obesity were in the South with Mississippi weighing in with highest rates for all adults (33.8 percent) for the sixth year in a row. More than a third (35.3 percent) of adults earning less than $15,000 per year were obese compared with roughly a quarter (24.5 percent) of adults earning $50,000 or more per year.

“Obesity is one of the biggest public health challenges the country has ever faced, and troubling disparities exist based on race, ethnicity, region and income,” said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. “This report shows that the country has taken bold steps to address the obesity crisis in recent years, but the nation’s response has yet to fully match the magnitude of the problem. Millions of Americans still face barriers – like the high cost of healthy foods and lack of access to safe places to be physically active – that make healthy choices challenging.”

Obesity rates among youths ages 10-17 from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health (NSCH) also were included in the 2009 F as in Fat report; «obesity2» percent of children were obese in the state, with the state ranking «rank2» out of the 50 states and D.C. for childhood obesity. Data collection for the next NSCH will begin in 2011. Currently, more than 12 million children and adolescents in the United States are considered obese.

The report also included the results of a new poll on childhood obesity conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and American Viewpoint. The poll shows that 80 percent of Americans recognize that childhood obesity is a significant and growing challenge for the country, and 50 percent of Americans believe childhood obesity is such an important issue that we need to invest more to prevent it immediately. The survey also found that 84 percent of parents believe their children are at a healthy weight, but research shows nearly one-third of children and teens are obese or overweight.

“Obesity rates among the current generation of young people are unacceptably high and a very serious problem,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., RWJF President and CEO. “To reverse this national epidemic, we have to make every community a healthy community. Americans are increasingly ready and willing to make that investment.”

Additional key findings include:

• Adult obesity rates for Blacks topped 40 percent in nine states, 35 percent in 34 states, and 30 percent in 43 states and D.C.
• Rates of adult obesity for Latinos were above 35 percent in two states (North Dakota and Tennessee) and at 30 percent and above in 19 states.
• Ten of the 11 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South, as are the 10 states with the highest rates of hypertension.
• No state had rates of adult obesity above 35 percent for Whites. Only one state – West Virginia – had an adult obesity rate for Whites greater than 30 percent.
• The number of states where adult obesity rates exceed 30 percent doubled in the past year, from four to eight – Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia.
• Northeastern and Western states had the lowest adult obesity rates; Colorado remained the lowest at 19.1 percent.

The report found that the federal government and many states are undertaking a wide range of policy initiatives to address the obesity crisis. Some key findings include:

At the state level:

• «state» «schoollunches» set nutritional standards for school lunches, breakfasts, and snacks that are stricter than current United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements. Twenty states and D.C. have set such standards. Five years ago, only four states had legislation requiring stricter standards
• «state» «competfoods» nutritional standards for competitive foods sold in schools on á la carte lines, in vending machines, in school stores, or through school bake sales. Twenty-eight states and D.C. have nutritional standards for competitive foods. Five years ago, only six states had such standards.
• «state» «bmi» passed requirements for body mass index (BMI) screenings of children and adolescents or legislation requiring other forms of weight-related assessments in schools. Twenty states have passed such requirements for BMI screenings. Five years ago, only four states had passed screening requirements.
• «state» «completestreets» passed Complete Streets legislation, which aims to ensure that all users — pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities — have safe access to a community’s streets. Thirteen states have passed Complete Streets legislation.

And at the federal level:

• The new health reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, has the potential to address the obesity epidemic through a number of prevention and wellness provisions, expand coverage to millions of uninsured Americans, and create a reliable funding stream through the creation of the Prevention and Public Health Fund;
• Community Transformation grants have the potential to help leverage the success of existing evidence-based disease prevention programs;
• President Barack Obama created a White House Task Force on Childhood Obesity, which issued a new national obesity strategy that contained concrete measures and roles for every agency in the federal government; and
• First Lady Michelle Obama launched the “Let’s Move” initiative to solve childhood obesity within a generation.

To enhance the prevention of obesity and related diseases, TFAH and RWJF provide a list of recommended actions in the report. Some key policy recommendations include:

• Support obesity- and disease-prevention programs through the new health reform law’s Prevention and Public Health Fund, which provides $15 billion in mandatory appropriations for public health and prevention programs over the next 10 years.
• Align federal policies and legislation with the goals of the forthcoming National Prevention and Health Promotion Strategy. Opportunities to do this can be found through key pieces of federal legislation that are up for reauthorization in the next few years, including the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act; the Elementary and Secondary Education Act; and the Surface Transportation Authorization Act.
• Expand the commitment to community-based prevention programs initiated under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 through new provisions in the health reform law, such as Community Transformation grants and the National Diabetes Prevention Program.
• Continue to invest in research and evaluation on nutrition, physical activity, obesity and obesity-related health outcomes and associated interventions.

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2007-2009) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**), states with statistically significant increases for three years in a row are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Individuals with a body mass index (BMI) (a calculation based on weight and height ratios) of 30 or higher are considered obese.

1.Mississippi*** (33.8%); 2. (tie) Alabama (31.6%); and Tennessee*** (31.6%); 4. West Virginia (31.3%); 5. Louisiana* (31.2%); 6.Oklahoma*** (30.6%); 7. Kentucky* (30.5%); 8. Arkansas* (30.1%); 9. South Carolina (29.9%); 10. (tie) Michigan (29.4%); and North Carolina*** (29.4%); 12. Missouri* (29.3%); 13. (tie) Ohio (29.0%); and Texas* (29.0%); 15. South Dakota*** (28.5%); 16. Kansas*** (28.2%); 17. (tie) Georgia (28.1%); Indiana* (28.1%); and Pennsylvania*** (28.1%); 20. Delaware (27.9%); 21. North Dakota** (27.7%); 22. Iowa* (27.6%); 23. Nebraska (27.3%); 24. (tie) Alaska (26.9%); and Wisconsin (26.9%); 26. (tie) Illinois* (26.6%); and Maryland (26.6%); 28. Washington*** (26.3%); 29. (tie) Arizona (25.8%); and Maine** (25.8%); 31. Nevada (25.6%); 32. (tie) Minnesota (25.5%); New Mexico*** (25.5%); and Virginia (25.5%); 35. New Hampshire* (25.4%); 36. (tie) Florida** (25.1%); Idaho (25.1%); and New York (25.1%); 39. (tie) Oregon (25.0%); and Wyoming (25.0%); 41. California* (24.4%); 42. New Jersey (23.9%); 43. Montana*** (23.5%); 44. Utah* (23.2%); 45. Rhode Island* (22.9%); 46. Vermont*** (22.8%); 47. Hawaii** (22.6%); 48. Massachusetts* (21.7%); 49. District of Columbia. (21.5%); 50. Connecticut (21.4%); 51. Colorado (19.1%)

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS FOR BLACKS

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2007-2009) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state.

1. Wisconsin (44.0%); 2. Mississippi (42.9%); 3. Kentucky (42.6%); 4. Kansas (41.9%); 5. Alabama (41.7%); 6. (tie) Tennessee (41.1%); and North Carolina (41.1%); 8. Ohio (40.9%); 9. Delaware (40.6%); 10. Arkansas (39.8%); 11. South Carolina (39.4%); 12. Louisiana (38.7%); 13. (tie) Missouri (38.4%); Pennsylvania (38.4%); and Oregon (38.4%); 16. Michigan (38.2%); 17. Wyoming (37.9%); 18. Texas (37.6%); 19. Idaho (37.3%); 20. (tie) West Virginia (37.2%); and Maine (37.2%); 22. (tie) California (37.1%); and Oklahoma (37.1%); 24. Nebraska (37.0%); 25. Georgia (36.5%); 26. New Mexico (36.4%); 27. (tie) Florida (36.3%); and Maryland (36.3%); 29. New Jersey (36.1%); 30. Indiana (35.9%); 31. Alaska (35.7%); 32. Illinois (35.5%); 33. (tie) Connecticut (35.4%); and Virginia (35.4%); 35. Utah (34.5%); 36. District of Columbia (34.4%); 37. Iowa (34.1%); 38. Arizona (32.5%); 39. Washington (32.2%); 40. North Dakota (31.3%); 41. Rhode Island (30.8%); 42. New York (30.6%); 43. Hawaii (30.4%); 44. Vermont (30.1%); 45. Massachusetts (29.0%); 46. Minnesota (28.6%); 47. Colorado (28.1%); 48. South Dakota (27.5%); 49. New Hampshire (27.2%); 50. Montana (26.2%); 51. Nevada (25.8%)

STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RANKINGS FOR LATINOS

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2007-2009) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state.

1. Tennessee (39.5%); 2. North Dakota (37.4%); 3. (tie) Missouri (34.0%); and Texas (34.0%); 5. (tie) Michigan (33.4%); and Arizona (33.4%); 7. Pennsylvania (33.3%); 8. Alabama (33.2%); 9. Kansas (32.8%); 10. (tie) Ohio (32.5%); and Alaska (32.5%); 12. Louisiana (30.8%); 13. New Mexico (30.7%); 14. Illinois (30.6%); 15. Oklahoma (30.4%); 16. Nebraska (30.3%); 17. (tie) Georgia (30.2%); and California (30.2%); 19. Wyoming (30.0%); 20. Washington (29.9%); 21. Arkansas (29.6%); 22. Iowa (29.4%); 23. Virginia (29.2%); 24. Idaho (29.1%); 25. West Virginia (28.5%); 26. (tie) South Carolina (28.4%); and Nevada (28.4%); 28. New York (28.0%); 29. Kentucky (27.9%); 30. Florida (27.8%); 31. Hawaii (27.7%); 32. Massachusetts (27.1%); 33. Rhode Island (27.0%); 34. (tie) Delaware (26.8%); and Indiana (26.8%); 36. (tie) Minnesota (26.4%); New Hampshire (26.4%); and Connecticut (26.4%); 39. South Dakota (26.2%); 40. North Carolina (25.7%); 41. Mississippi (25.6%); 42. New Jersey (25.4%); 43. Wisconsin (24.9%); 44. Colorado (24.5%); 45. Maryland (24.4%); 46. Oregon (23.7%); 47. Utah (23.6%); 48. Montana (23.2%); 49. Maine (21.0%); 50. Vermont (20.8%); 51. District of Columbia (20.6%)

New Report Finds «state» Has «AdultRankHeadline» Obese Adults and «ChildRankHeadline» Obese and Overweight Children in the U.S.

Washington, D.C., July 1, 2009 – «state» has the «AdultRank» rate of adult obesity in the nation, at «AdultRate» percent and the «ChildRank» of overweight youths (ages 10-17) at «ChildRate» percent, according to a new report by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

The rate of obese adults «RateStatus» in the state «RateRecord». Adult obesity rates increased in 23 states and did not decrease in a single state in the past year, according to the F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009. In addition, the percentage of obese and overweight children is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.

“Our health care costs have grown along with our waist lines,” said Jeff Levi, Ph.D., executive director of TFAH. “The obesity epidemic is a big contributor to the skyrocketing health care costs in the United States. How are we going to compete with the rest of the world if our economy and workforce are weighed down by bad health?”

Mississippi had the highest rate of adult obesity at 32.5 percent, making it the fifth year in a row that the state topped the list. Four states now have rates above 30 percent, including Mississippi, Alabama (31.2 percent), West Virginia (31.1 percent) and Tennessee (30.2 percent). Eight of the 10 states with the highest percentage of obese adults are in the South. Colorado continued to have the lowest percentage of obese adults at 18.9 percent.

Adult obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in 31 states and exceed 20 percent in 49 states and Washington, D.C. Two-thirds of American adults are either obese or overweight. In 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent. In 1980, the national average for adult obesity was 15 percent. Sixteen states experienced an increase for the second year in a row, and 11 states experienced an increase for the third straight year.

Mississippi also had the highest rate of obese and overweight children (ages 10 to 17) at 44.4 percent. Minnesota and Utah had the lowest rate at 23.1 percent. Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of obese and overweight children are in the South. Childhood obesity rates have more than tripled since 1980.

“Reversing the childhood obesity epidemic is a critical ingredient for delivering a healthier population and making health reform work,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., RWJF president and CEO. “If we can prevent the current generation of young people from developing the serious and costly chronic conditions related to obesity, we can not only improve health and quality of life, but we can also save billions of dollars and make our health care systems more efficient and sustainable.”

The F as in Fat report contains rankings of state obesity rates and a review of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity. Some additional key findings from F as in Fat 2009 include:

• The current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic. Food prices, particularly for more nutritious foods, are expected to rise, making it more difficult for families to eat healthy foods. At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured continue to grow. In addition, due to the strain of the recession, rates of depression, anxiety and stress, which are linked to obesity for many individuals, also are increasing.
• Nineteen states now have nutritional standards for school lunches, breakfasts and snacks that are stricter than current USDA requirements. «state» is one of the states that «SchoolMeals» have these standards. Five years ago, only four states had legislation requiring stricter standards.
• Twenty-seven states have nutritional standards for competitive foods sold a la carte, in vending machines, in school stores or in school bake sales. «state» is one of the states that «CompetitiveFoods» have these standards. Five years ago, only six states had nutritional standards for competitive foods.
• Twenty states have passed requirements for body mass index (BMI) screenings of children and adolescents or have passed legislation requiring other forms of weight-related assessments in schools. «state» is one of the states that «BMICollected» have one of these screening programs. Five years ago, only four states had passed screening requirements.
• A recent analysis commissioned by TFAH found that the Baby Boomer generation has a higher rate of obesity compared with previous generations. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, obesity-related costs to Medicare and Medicaid are likely to grow significantly because of the large number of people in this population and its high rate of obesity. And, as Baby Boomers become Medicare-eligible, the percentage of obese adults age 65 and older could increase significantly. Estimates of the increase in percentage of obese adults range from 5.2 percent in New York to 16.3 percent in Alabama.

Key report recommendations for addressing obesity within health reform include:

• Ensuring every adult and child has access to coverage for preventive medical services, including nutrition and obesity counseling and screening for obesity-related diseases, such as type 2 diabetes;
• Increasing the number of programs available in communities, schools, and childcare settings that help make nutritious foods more affordable and accessible and provide safe and healthy places for people to engage in physical activity; and
• Reducing Medicare expenditures by promoting proven programs that improve nutrition and increase physical activity among adults ages 55 to 64.

The report also calls for a National Strategy to Combat Obesity that would define roles and responsibilities for federal, state and local governments and promote collaboration among businesses, communities, schools and families. It would seek to advance policies that

• Provide healthy foods and beverages to students at schools;
• Increase the availability of affordable healthy foods in all communities;
• Increase the frequency, intensity, and duration of physical activity at school;
• Improve access to safe and healthy places to live, work, learn, and play;
• Limit screen time; and
• Encourage employers to provide workplace wellness programs.

The report was supported by a grant from RWJF.

State-by-State Adult Obesity Rankings

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2006-2008) from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to “stabilize” data for comparison purposes. This methodology, recommended by the CDC, compensates for any potential anomalies or usual changes due to the specific sample in any given year in any given state. States with a statistically significant (p<0.05) increase for one year are noted with an asterisk (*), states with statistically significant increases for two years in a row are noted with two asterisks (**), states with statistically significant increases for three years in a row are noted with three asterisks (***). Additional information about methodologies and confidence interval is available in the report. Adults with a body mass index, a calculation based on weight and height ratios, of 30 or higher are considered obese.

1. Mississippi*** (32.5%); 2. Alabama* (31.2%); 3. West Virginia (31.1%); 4. Tennessee*** (30.2%); 5. South Carolina (29.7%); 6. Oklahoma*** (29.5%); 7. Kentucky (29.0%); 8. Louisiana (28.9%); 9. Michigan*** (28.8%) 10. (tie) Arkansas (28.6%) and Ohio* (28.6%); 12. North Carolina*** (28.3%); 13. Missouri (28.1%); 14. (tie) Georgia (27.9%) and Texas (27.9%); 16. Indiana (27.4%); 17. Delaware*** (27.3%); 18. (tie) Alaska (27.2%) and Kansas*** (27.2%) 20. (tie) Nebraska (26.9%) and South Dakota*** (26.9%); 22. (tie) Iowa (26.7%) and North Dakota* (26.7%) and Pennsylvania** 26.7%; 25. (tie) Maryland*** (26.0%) and Wisconsin (26.0%); 27. Illinois 25.9%; 28. (tie) Oregon (25.4%) and Virginia (25.4) and Washington*** (25.4%); 31. Minnesota (25.3%); 32. Nevada* 25.1%; 33. (tie) Arizona** (24.8%) and Idaho (24.8%); 35. Maine* (24.7%); 36. New Mexico*** (24.6%); 37. New York** (24.5%) 38. Wyoming (24.3%); 39. (tie) Florida* (24.1%) and New Hampshire (24.1%); 41. California (23.6%); 42. New Jersey (23.4%); 43. Montana** (22.7%); 44. Utah (22.5%); 45. District of Columbia (22.3%); 46. Vermont** (22.1%); 47. Hawaii* (21.8%); 48. Rhode Island (21.7%); 49. Connecticut (21.3%); 50. Massachusetts (21.2%); 51. Colorado (18.9%)

State-by-State Obese and Overweight Children Ages 10-17 Rankings

Note: 1 = Highest rate of childhood overweight, 51 = lowest. Rankings are based on the National Survey of Children’s Health, a phone survey of parents with children ages 10-17 conducted in 2007 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Additional information about methodologies and confidence intervals is available in the report. Children with a body mass index, a calculation based on weight and height ratios, at or above the 95th percentile for their age are considered obese and children at or above the 85th percentile are considered overweight. States with statistically significant (p<0.05) increases in combined obesity and overweight since the NSCH was last issued in 2003 are noted with an asterisk (*).

1. Mississippi* (44.4%); 2. Arkansas (37.5%); 3. Georgia (37.3%); 4. Kentucky (37.1%) 5. Tennessee (36.5%) 6. Alabama (36.1%); 7. Louisiana (35.9%); 8. West Virginia (35.5%); 9. District of Columbia (35.4%); 10. Illinois (34.9%); 11. Nevada* (34.2%); 12. Alaska (33.9%); 13. South Carolina (33.7%); 14. North Carolina (33.5%); 15. Ohio (33.3%); 16. Delaware (33.2%); 17. Florida (33.1%); 18. New York (32.9%); 19. New Mexico (32.7%) 20. Texas (32.2%) 21. Nebraska (31.5%); 22. Kansas (31.1%); 23. (tie) Missouri (31.0%) and New Jersey (31.0%) and Virginia (31.0%); 26. (tie) Arizona (30.6%) and Michigan (30.6%); 28. California (30.5%); 29. Rhode Island (30.1%); 30. Massachusetts (30.0%) 31. Indiana (29.9%) 32. Pennsylvania (29.7%); 33. (tie) Oklahoma (29.5%) and Washington (29.5%); 35. New Hampshire (29.4%); 36. Maryland (28.8%); 37. Hawaii (28.5%); 38. South Dakota (28.4%); 39. Maine (28.2%); 40. Wisconsin (27.9%); 41. Idaho (27.5%); 42. Colorado (27.2%); 43. Vermont (26.7%); 44. Iowa (26.5%); 45. (tie) Connecticut (25.7%) and North Dakota (25.7%) and Wyoming (25.7%); 48. Montana (25.6%); 49. Oregon (24.3%); 50. (tie) Minnesota (23.1%) and Utah (23.1%)

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Trust for America’s Health is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to saving lives by protecting the health of every community and working to make disease prevention a national priority. www.healthyamericans.org

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need–the Foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.