The State of Obesity 2017: Better Policies for a Healthier America

State of Obesity is the 14th annual report by TFAH and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This edition, summarizing national and state level obesity trends, finds adult obesity rates are showing signs of leveling off—but progress could be eroded if programs are cut and policies are weakened.

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The State of Obesity 2017

According to the 14th annual State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America report from the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), adult obesity rates are showing signs of leveling off — but progress could be eroded if programs are cut and policies are weakened.

This year, adult obesity rates exceeded 35 percent in five states, 30 percent in 25 states, and 25 percent in 46 states. As of 2000, no state had an obesity rate above 25 percent.

In the past year, adult obesity rates increased in four states (Colorado, Minnesota, Washington and West Virginia), decreased in one state (Kansas), and remained stable in the rest. This supports trends that have shown steadying levels in recent years. Last year was the first time this annual report recorded any declines in adult obesity rates, with four states experiencing declines, and, overtime, growth has started to slow. In 2006, rates increased in 31 states; in 2010, rates increased in 16 states.

Visit StateofObesity.org for interactive graphs, charts, and obesity rates.

State-by-State Findings

State-by-state adult obesity rates and a new policy web-based interactive, featuring more than 20 policies focused on preventing and reducing obesity, are available on http://stateofobesity.org/.

The State of Obesity also found that:

  • Colorado had the lowest adult obesity rate at 22.3 percent and West Virginia had the highest at 37.7 percent.
  • Nine of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South and 23 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
  • Adult obesity rates have striking racial and ethnic inequities – with rates above 40 percent for Blacks in 15 states, and rates at or above 35 percent among Latinos in nine states, compared with rates above 35 percent among Whites in one state.
  • Obesity rates are around 30 percent higher among adults without a college education and with incomes below $15,000 compared with other adults.
  • One in four young adults who try to join the military are ineligible due to fitness and weight concerns.

Recommendations

To accelerate progress in addressing obesity, RWJF and TFAH urge policymakers to:

  • Invest in prevention at the federal, state and local levels, including full funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Prevention and Public Health Fund.
  • Prioritize early childhood policies and programs, including support for Head Start and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
  • Maintain progress on school-based policies and programs, including full implementation of current nutrition standards for school foods.
  • Invest in community-based policies and programs, including nutrition assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and transportation, housing, and community development policies and programs that support physical activity.
  • Fully implement menu labeling rules and the updated Nutrition Facts label.
  • Expand healthcare coverage and care, including continued Medicare and Medicaid coverage of the full range of obesity prevention, treatment, and management services.

The obesity rate analyses are based on the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). (Note: the methodology for BRFSS changed in 2011.) The State of Obesity report (formerly known as F as in Fat), with state rankings, interactive maps, charts, and graphs, is available at http://stateofobesity.org. Follow the conversation at #StateofObesity.

2016 Adult Obesity Rates by State

Based on an analysis of new state-by-state data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey, adult obesity rates by state from highest to lowest were:

Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity.

1. West Virginia (37.7);
2. Mississippi (37.3);
3. (tie) Alabama (35.7) and Arkansas (35.7);
5. Louisiana (35.5);
6. Tennessee (34.8);
7. Kentucky (34.2);
8. Texas (33.7);
9. Oklahoma (32.8);
10. (tie) Indiana (32.5) and Michigan (32.5);
12. South Carolina (32.3);
13. (tie) Iowa (32) and Nebraska (32);
15. North Dakota (31.9);
16. North Carolina (31.8);
17. Missouri (31.7);
18. Illinois (31.6);
19. Ohio (31.5);
20. (tie) Alaska (31.4) and Georgia (31.4);
22. Kansas (31.2);
23. (tie) Delaware (30.7) and Wisconsin (30.7);
25. Pennsylvania (30.3);
26. (tie) Maine (29.9) and Maryland (29.9);
28. South Dakota (29.6);
29. (tie) Arizona (29) and Virginia (29);
31. Oregon (28.7);
32. Washington (28.6);
33. New Mexico (28.3);
34. Minnesota (27.8); 35. Wyoming (27.7);
36. (tie) Florida (27.4) and Idaho (27.4) and New Jersey (27.4);
39. Vermont (27.1);
40. (tie) New Hampshire (26.6) and Rhode Island (26.6);
42. Connecticut (26);
43. Nevada (25.8);
44. (tie) Montana (25.5) and New York (25.5);
46. Utah (25.4);
47. California (25);
48. Hawaii (23.8);
49. Massachusetts (23.6);
50. D.C. (22.6);
51. Colorado (22.3).