What’s the State of Obesity where you live?

We know the harmful effects obesity has on our health – that’s why the County Health Rankings has been tracking it through our Adult Obesity measure, allowing counties to evaluate obesity rates over time. Now a new report shows that adult obesity rates are still high overall, increased in six states, and did not decrease in any. That’s the news from The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Among the key findings:

• Rates increased in Alaska, Delaware, Idaho, New Jersey, Tennessee and Wyoming.
• Rates of obesity now exceed 35 percent for the first time in two states, are at or above 30 percent in 20 states and are not below 21 percent in any.  
• Significant geographic, income, racial, and ethnic disparities persist, with obesity rates highest in the South and among Blacks, Latinos and lower-income, less-educated Americans. 

See your state’s ranking – and what can be done about it – here.