"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Almost half of US states have obesity rates above 35%

September 13, 2024 – Obesity stays a major health problem within the United States, whilst weight reduction medications develop into increasingly popular, a report says Data from the CDC.

On Thursday, the CDC reported that in 23 states, a minimum of 35% of adults are actually considered obese – a pointy increase from 2013, when no state had an obesity rate above 35%.

According to the CDC, 20% of adults in every state nationwide are obese, with the very best rates within the South and Midwest. Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia each had obesity rates above 40%. Colorado and the District of Columbia were on the low end, with obesity rates between 20% and 25%.

As education levels increased, adult obesity decreased. According to the CDC, obesity was reported in 36.5% of adults with out a highschool diploma, 34.7% of adults with a highschool diploma, 35.7% of adults with a school education, and 27.1% of University graduates identified.

When breaking the information down demographically, Asian adults in no state had an obesity prevalence higher than 35%. Black adults had obesity rates above 35% in 38 states, Hispanic adults in 34 states, American Indian or Alaska Native adults in 30 states, and white adults in 16 states.

The CDC report was based on self-reported height and weight data from the CDC Behavioral risk factor monitoring system. An adult with obesity has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. BMI estimates how healthy your weight is predicated in your height.

Jamy Ard, MD, of Wake Forest Baptist Health Weight Management Center, told Yahoo Life that nationwide obesity rates will remain high even within the age of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs. Many people taking these drugs have a really high BMI, and though they shed some pounds, they still have a BMI over 30, he said.

“If the CDC calls and they take the survey … they would still be classified as obese,” he said.