New data: Over 20% obesity in every single state in the U.S.
Caitwn
Posts: 1,215 Member
The Centers for Disease Control use data from their Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to track prevalence and changes in factors affecting health, morbidity, and mortality in the U.S. ("prevalence" means the number of cases that currently exist).
The 2014 data was updated as of September 21, and while I thought I had a good reality-based perspective on the trends, even I am dismayed. Every state now reports obesity rates of at LEAST 20%.
If you are a data nerd like me, there's a lot to look at (links below with pretty pictures included). Here's just a snapshot from the CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity:
* 5 states and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity between 20% and <25%.
* 23 states, Guam and Puerto Rico had a prevalence of obesity between 25% and <30%.
* 19 states had a prevalence of obesity between 30% and <35%.
* 3 states (Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity of 35% or greater.
* The Midwest had the highest prevalence of obesity (30.7%), followed by the South (30.6%), the Northeast (27.3%), and the West (25.7%).
Two points are especially upsetting. One is that in 1990, the most obese state in America (Mississippi, 15%) still had a lower rate than the least obese state in America today (Colorado, 21%). In other words, the entire U.S. is now more obese than the most obese state was in 1990.
In terms of population biology, the time from 1990 to the present is trivial. The fact that the obesity rate has gone up so drastically is really disturbing.
The second distressing fact is that 31.8% of children in the U.S. are either obese or overweight. That statistic is obscene.
Links if you want to explore the data further:
CDC page: cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
Excellent and detailed analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson foundation (explore all of the links at the top of the page):
stateofobesity.org/
Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
The 2014 data was updated as of September 21, and while I thought I had a good reality-based perspective on the trends, even I am dismayed. Every state now reports obesity rates of at LEAST 20%.
If you are a data nerd like me, there's a lot to look at (links below with pretty pictures included). Here's just a snapshot from the CDC Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity:
* 5 states and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity between 20% and <25%.
* 23 states, Guam and Puerto Rico had a prevalence of obesity between 25% and <30%.
* 19 states had a prevalence of obesity between 30% and <35%.
* 3 states (Arkansas, Mississippi and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity of 35% or greater.
* The Midwest had the highest prevalence of obesity (30.7%), followed by the South (30.6%), the Northeast (27.3%), and the West (25.7%).
Two points are especially upsetting. One is that in 1990, the most obese state in America (Mississippi, 15%) still had a lower rate than the least obese state in America today (Colorado, 21%). In other words, the entire U.S. is now more obese than the most obese state was in 1990.
In terms of population biology, the time from 1990 to the present is trivial. The fact that the obesity rate has gone up so drastically is really disturbing.
The second distressing fact is that 31.8% of children in the U.S. are either obese or overweight. That statistic is obscene.
Links if you want to explore the data further:
CDC page: cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html
Excellent and detailed analysis by the Robert Wood Johnson foundation (explore all of the links at the top of the page):
stateofobesity.org/
Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
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Replies
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Don't look at me, I just lowered my state's stat by 1/9.91 million. Someone else clearly is at fault.0
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Yup. Something's gotta change.0
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I'm looking around, and I'm surprised CT is in the yellow. I thought it would be higher.0
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thanks for posting this, but man, how depressing.0
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I didn't click the link, but have seen the stats before and Yes, it's very disturbing how much fatter we have become in such a short time.
They need to do a better job on nutrition in schools. People don't know anything. Half (or more) of MFP regular posters never even heard that weight gain and loss was related to the calories in the food they ate. How do people get out of school without learning that?!
Personally, I think they should swap out Chemistry for Anatomy in high schools. Most people do not go into science classes in college, so the Chem is all but worthless to them. EVERYONE has a body. They should learn how it works, why all those vitamins and minerals are important. That's something that would serve them well through life. And when someone they love gets sick, they'll have some freaking idea what that organ does and won't have to rely on googling, which is a poor replacement for an actual education. (I realize that you cannot learn a whole lot about Physiology without a decent background in Chem, but they could learn enough. They don't have to learn to differentiate between metabolic and respiratory acidosis, but should learn why they breathe.)
Get the kids outside. Day Care and video games have taken over. Kids need to use their little bodies, outside, playing.
Whew. Kind of ranted there. Rant over.
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Good rant.0
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Relative privations and false dichotomy. If someone punches me in the face, it still is upsetting even if it beats getting kicked in the groin.ninagray000 wrote: »thanks for posting this, but man, how depressing.
It's depressing that people are unhappy with their appearances due to excess weight and also depressing that people get increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and diabetes due to carrying excess weight.
Then again, you gotta die of something and despite this, life expectancy in the Western world is at an all time high.
We've got an over abundance of cheap, available food unlike any other time in human history. So, naturally, people are eating too much of it and getting fatter.
That's better than what we've historically lived through (forever) as a human race. Chronic food shortages, forced periods of fasting for lack of food, crop failures with no immediate alternative food sources, livestock die offs with no immediate alternative food sources, death from starvation, etc.
This is a new era of extended abundance and availability of delicious food. We haven't adjusted to it, physically or mentally.
I still think it's better than the alternative.0 -
Nope. If the food's not there, starvation mode will protect people from starving to death during famine.
Relative privations and false dichotomy. If someone punches me in the face, it still is upsetting even if it beats getting kicked in the groin.ninagray000 wrote: »thanks for posting this, but man, how depressing.
It's depressing that people are unhappy with their appearances due to excess weight and also depressing that people get increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and diabetes due to carrying excess weight.
Then again, you gotta die of something and despite this, life expectancy in the Western world is at an all time high.
We've got an over abundance of cheap, available food unlike any other time in human history. So, naturally, people are eating too much of it and getting fatter.
That's better than what we've historically lived through (forever) as a human race. Chronic food shortages, forced periods of fasting for lack of food, crop failures with no immediate alternative food sources, livestock die offs with no immediate alternative food sources, death from starvation, etc.
This is a new era of extended abundance and availability of delicious food. We haven't adjusted to it, physically or mentally.
I still think it's better than the alternative.
Sorry about your groin troubles. But I stand by my dichotomy. Folks can choose to moderate what how much they eat in times of abundance, even if it's difficult. If the food's not there, it's not there and that's that. That's human history, smartypants.0 -
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Ghosts? Only silly people believe in ghosts or the laws of thermodynamics applying to a human body.
Nope. If the food's not there, starvation mode will protect people from starving to death during famine. Duh.
Relative privations and false dichotomy. If someone punches me in the face, it still is upsetting even if it beats getting kicked in the groin.ninagray000 wrote: »thanks for posting this, but man, how depressing.
It's depressing that people are unhappy with their appearances due to excess weight and also depressing that people get increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, and diabetes due to carrying excess weight.
Then again, you gotta die of something and despite this, life expectancy in the Western world is at an all time high.
We've got an over abundance of cheap, available food unlike any other time in human history. So, naturally, people are eating too much of it and getting fatter.
That's better than what we've historically lived through (forever) as a human race. Chronic food shortages, forced periods of fasting for lack of food, crop failures with no immediate alternative food sources, livestock die offs with no immediate alternative food sources, death from starvation, etc.
This is a new era of extended abundance and availability of delicious food. We haven't adjusted to it, physically or mentally.
I still think it's better than the alternative.
Sorry about your groin troubles. But I stand by my dichotomy. Folks can choose to moderate what how much they eat in times of abundance, even if it's difficult. If the food's not there, it's not there and that's that. That's human history, smartypants.
Yeah, tell that to the ghosts of millions of folks who've died from starvation over the past 5 thousand years or so. Duh.
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Our provincial statistics are 35% of people are overweight or obese, 20% are obese. Apparently our province is the worst
Though I am proud to say that our family improves those statistics, especially my kids! 0 -
Dr. William Davis states if parents, kids and pets are all obese you can expect it is due to some factor other than genetics.
We did a trade show in La Crosse WI last week and even at Wal-Mart we did not see the number of obese people like in the south. Nothing scientific but it was unusual we thought. It was a Sunday evening when we were at WM.0 -
I didn't click the link, but have seen the stats before and Yes, it's very disturbing how much fatter we have become in such a short time.
They need to do a better job on nutrition in schools. People don't know anything. Half (or more) of MFP regular posters never even heard that weight gain and loss was related to the calories in the food they ate. How do people get out of school without learning that?!
Personally, I think they should swap out Chemistry for Anatomy in high schools. Most people do not go into science classes in college, so the Chem is all but worthless to them. EVERYONE has a body. They should learn how it works, why all those vitamins and minerals are important. That's something that would serve them well through life. And when someone they love gets sick, they'll have some freaking idea what that organ does and won't have to rely on googling, which is a poor replacement for an actual education. (I realize that you cannot learn a whole lot about Physiology without a decent background in Chem, but they could learn enough. They don't have to learn to differentiate between metabolic and respiratory acidosis, but should learn why they breathe.)
Get the kids outside. Day Care and video games have taken over. Kids need to use their little bodies, outside, playing.
Whew. Kind of ranted there. Rant over.
A cooking class should also be mandatory. I would say a nutrition class, but not until the cult of the heart healthy whole grain is dead.
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Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly the opposite of an individual problem.0 -
Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.0 -
The only obese creature in my house is the youngest house cat. I'm not sure how to put her on a diet while not starving the senior cat.GaleHawkins wrote: »Dr. William Davis states if parents, kids and pets are all obese you can expect it is due to some factor other than genetics.
We did a trade show in La Crosse WI last week and even at Wal-Mart we did not see the number of obese people like in the south. Nothing scientific but it was unusual we thought. It was a Sunday evening when we were at WM.
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My family isn't waiting for someone else to make changes. It's our fault if we eat too many calories, and it's our responsibility to maintain our own good health by exercising for heart and body health (prevent osteoporosis via weight lifting etc). It actually makes me feel good, and makes it easier to make good choices, when I empower myself by realizing that this is something that I can control.0
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Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.
Hmm yeah that too. Honestly, the fastest way would be a single event that captured national attention for at least 1.5 days, probably bc it was pretty bad. But the effects of obesity are slow and non-dramatic, and tv shows are made around them for entertainment anyway, and the causes are always, always in debate.
Most people are fine with the explanation that "it's too many lazy people that somehow started eating too much food. All at the same time, randomly"0 -
Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.
Hmm yeah that too. Honestly, the fastest way would be a single event that captured national attention for at least 1.5 days, probably bc it was pretty bad. But the effects of obesity are slow and non-dramatic, and tv shows are made around them for entertainment anyway, and the causes are always, always in debate.
Most people are fine with the explanation that "it's too many lazy people that somehow started eating too much food. All at the same time, randomly"
I vote for a general strike. But it's like herding cats. Fat, apathetic, sick cats.0 -
2% will change. I do think the other 98% really do not have an awareness that change is possible because obesity has become the new norm. Other guys my age are dropping like flies with next to none making any eating life style change. One guy did stop eating white bread and started eating whole gain.
If change comes it will be from those who are kids now I expect. It will not come from top down.
ACA may wake up some people. Our company was able to keep our old plan for two more years by renewing last week. The rate increase was 4%. Had we moved to an ACA approved policy at this time the rate increase would have been 84%.
That is because everyone gets the "village" rating vs actual risk rating. We in the obese states will pay more even if we are at our "ideal" weight unlike before. This rewards those who do not take care of their health at the expense of the young and older healthy population.0 -
We've got an over abundance of cheap, available food unlike any other time in human history. So, naturally, people are eating too much of it and getting fatter.
That's better than what we've historically lived through (forever) as a human race. Chronic food shortages, forced periods of fasting for lack of food, crop failures with no immediate alternative food sources, livestock die offs with no immediate alternative food sources, death from starvation, etc.
This is a new era of extended abundance and availability of delicious food. We haven't adjusted to it, physically or mentally.
I still think it's better than the alternative.
Honestly, I agree.
It's a tough thing for us to adjust to as a species, as it goes against what was our historical norm.
And it's a lot better than the problem of scarcity. Yes, sucks I have to watch my weight. Beats starving or being afraid of starving.0 -
GaleHawkins wrote: »2% will change. I do think the other 98% really do not have an awareness that change is possible because obesity has become the new norm. Other guys my age are dropping like flies with next to none making any eating life style change. One guy did stop eating white bread and started eating whole gain.
If change comes it will be from those who are kids now I expect. It will not come from top down.
ACA may wake up some people. Our company was able to keep our old plan for two more years by renewing last week. The rate increase was 4%. Had we moved to an ACA approved policy at this time the rate increase would have been 84%.
That is because everyone gets the "village" rating vs actual risk rating. We in the obese states will pay more even if we are at our "ideal" weight unlike before. This rewards those who do not take care of their health at the expense of the young and older healthy population.
That makes sense. I can totally see insurance companies playing an important role in changing things. But what are you suggesting would be the way it would happen, people getting annoyed at their premiums (when set by average risk for a given location), or insurance companies holding individuals to behavioural change requirements to keep rates lower?
I'm fine with a focus on individual behaviour, but I think the landscape -the food industry, restaurants etc - needs changes too.
(I am very tired and edited that 3 times to have it make some kind of sense, sorry)0 -
Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.
Hmm yeah that too. Honestly, the fastest way would be a single event that captured national attention for at least 1.5 days, probably bc it was pretty bad. But the effects of obesity are slow and non-dramatic, and tv shows are made around them for entertainment anyway, and the causes are always, always in debate.
Most people are fine with the explanation that "it's too many lazy people that somehow started eating too much food. All at the same time, randomly"
I vote for a general strike. But it's like herding cats. Fat, apathetic, sick cats.
Lol yeah I think it'd be hard to find much support for anything that even alluded to the word "strike"0 -
Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.
Hmm yeah that too. Honestly, the fastest way would be a single event that captured national attention for at least 1.5 days, probably bc it was pretty bad. But the effects of obesity are slow and non-dramatic, and tv shows are made around them for entertainment anyway, and the causes are always, always in debate.
Most people are fine with the explanation that "it's too many lazy people that somehow started eating too much food. All at the same time, randomly"
I vote for a general strike. But it's like herding cats. Fat, apathetic, sick cats.
Lol yeah I think it'd be hard to find much support for anything that even alluded to the word "strike"
My country has a rich history of strikes. Time to get back to basics.
Edit: But we could call it simultaneous personal health days!
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Great post, thanks for sharing.Blessings, strength, motivation, and success to all of us trying to turn these trends around in our own lives and through supporting our families and loved ones in their efforts.
Yes, we should help the individuals in our orbit, but there is no way this problem can be addressed without serious changes from the top. It is clearly opposite of an individual problem.
The top won't change a thing unless the bottom kicks them in the bottom, and hard. They take too many bribes (oh excuse me, they call them campaign contributions) from the food industry to change anything without being forced to.
Hmm yeah that too. Honestly, the fastest way would be a single event that captured national attention for at least 1.5 days, probably bc it was pretty bad. But the effects of obesity are slow and non-dramatic, and tv shows are made around them for entertainment anyway, and the causes are always, always in debate.
Most people are fine with the explanation that "it's too many lazy people that somehow started eating too much food. All at the same time, randomly"
I vote for a general strike. But it's like herding cats. Fat, apathetic, sick cats.
Lol yeah I think it'd be hard to find much support for anything that even alluded to the word "strike"
My country has a rich history of strikes. Time to get back to basics.
Edit: But we could call it simultaneous personal health days!
Haha0 -
I didn't click the link, but have seen the stats before and Yes, it's very disturbing how much fatter we have become in such a short time.
They need to do a better job on nutrition in schools. People don't know anything. Half (or more) of MFP regular posters never even heard that weight gain and loss was related to the calories in the food they ate. How do people get out of school without learning that?!
Personally, I think they should swap out Chemistry for Anatomy in high schools. Most people do not go into science classes in college, so the Chem is all but worthless to them. EVERYONE has a body. They should learn how it works, why all those vitamins and minerals are important. That's something that would serve them well through life. And when someone they love gets sick, they'll have some freaking idea what that organ does and won't have to rely on googling, which is a poor replacement for an actual education. (I realize that you cannot learn a whole lot about Physiology without a decent background in Chem, but they could learn enough. They don't have to learn to differentiate between metabolic and respiratory acidosis, but should learn why they breathe.)
Get the kids outside. Day Care and video games have taken over. Kids need to use their little bodies, outside, playing.
Whew. Kind of ranted there. Rant over.
I think some of those are goals in one of the plans linked to in the OP. (More activity for kids at school) I bet people will hate that idea though, and will DEFINITELY hate the idea of their kids being taught nutrition at school. Personal responsibility etc.
One of the other goals is reducing access to sugary drinks, that (of ALL THINGS) is going to cause riots in the streets0 -
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lemurcat12 wrote: »We've got an over abundance of cheap, available food unlike any other time in human history. So, naturally, people are eating too much of it and getting fatter.
That's better than what we've historically lived through (forever) as a human race. Chronic food shortages, forced periods of fasting for lack of food, crop failures with no immediate alternative food sources, livestock die offs with no immediate alternative food sources, death from starvation, etc.
This is a new era of extended abundance and availability of delicious food. We haven't adjusted to it, physically or mentally.
I still think it's better than the alternative.
Honestly, I agree.
It's a tough thing for us to adjust to as a species, as it goes against what was our historical norm.
And it's a lot better than the problem of scarcity. Yes, sucks I have to watch my weight. Beats starving or being afraid of starving.
I get what you guys are saying, and of course I agree that people starving to death is hardly a good alternative. Of course. But...I also disagree. I mean, I'm also glad we don't have to deal with smallpox or polio. But just because the ravages of infectious disease and chronic food shortages in previous generations were so dramatic. it still doesn't mean that the ravages of obesity and obesity-related chronic illnesses are taking less of a toll.
We just don't see the ripple effects quite as clearly. But the personal, social, productivity, and economic consequences for the whole society are immense. And when we're looking at current rates of overweight and obesity in our KIDS, we see that the ripple effect reaches far into the future.
The only positive thing I see in that data as compared to the famines and the great epidemics of the past is that obesity-related illnesses are entirely preventable. So we have that going for us. But when I see those statistics, and I realize that similar trends are showing up in virtually every other country that has become wealthier and more industrialized, I just can't find a way to think that in the long run, it's better than the alternative. If there were a way of quantifying the human and societal price, I think the obesity epidemic may actually come at a much higher cost.
Well said!
And it was the poor who starved (and in some places still do) and now the poor in many countries are the most likely to be obese. It's still malnourishment. It's still an early death.
Hell with you, spell checker, if malnourishment wasn't a word, it is now!
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and will DEFINITELY hate the idea of their kids being taught nutrition at school. Personal responsibility etc.
Nutrition and what's considered the best source of nutrition (and in what percentages) is a controversial subject to be mandated into a public school curriculum.
Some parents think anything goes as long as calories are restricted to maintain or obtain a healthy weight. Some swear by milk/egg vegetarianism. Some are vegan for religious or ethical reasons. Others bristle at the idea that the kids might be taught that eating whole grains is "healthy", others think that low fat is the way to go, others swear that high fat, low carbohydrate is the best way to develop a healthy brain, etc.
There's no agreeing on these things universally and it's much more combustible when teaching kids is involved. Allegedly, we're all adults here at MFP and look how we go at it when it comes to food religion, LOL.
Yeah. Not hopeful about that strategy. People freaked out with Jamie Oliver and his healthy school lunches. I think also there was a thing about people getting very angry about pop machines being taken out of schools (somewhere, can't remember where this happened).
That's kind of why I think it'd be better for it to not be talked about as a "fix the kids" thing0
This discussion has been closed.
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