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CDC obesity map in America - why are some geographic areas more impacted than others?

SafariGalNYC
SafariGalNYC Posts: 1,687 Member
edited December 2024 in Debate Club
Reading today about health in America (NYE resolutions & end of year statistics and such) —I came across this CDC Adult Obesity Prevalence Map.



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Why are some states impacted more than others? Is it economic? Cultural? Education ?

I originally thought it may be economic, with NY & California having a less prevalent obesity rate, but then Colorado is the leanest state, although not the wealthiest, where fewer than one in four adults are obese.

Is it micro culture in each state influencing health/fitness norms?


https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/annual_data/annual_2023.html


Re personal income by state: (not saying it’s economic, but is it interesting to see the states with leaner populations rank higher in wealth. But then there are outliers like Wyoming.)

https://www.statsamerica.org/sip/rank_list.aspx?rank_label=pcpi1

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Replies

  • chris_in_cal
    chris_in_cal Posts: 2,635 Member
    It's very interesting, there are multivariate reasons. Any "answer" we get is wrong. Statistics don't speak to an individual person.

    But yes, financial stress, education level, economic opportunities, climate, crime level, etc. There are several factors that correlate to fitness levels.

    An obese person in Colorado and a trim and fit person in Arkansas both deal with CICO, but there are dozens of huge other factors that led them to their current condition.

    It is fascinating and important to understand these variables. Thanks for posting this.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,356 Member
    edited December 2024
    It's complex, no doubt about it. This is kind of my wheelhouse and interest based on my personal journey to better health from basically looking at all sorts of literature and data but on the surface and again this doesn't apply to an individual for example but data looking at populations, which within that data you'll find the full spectrum of examples and experiences on that individual basis.

    Anyway, it's pretty well established that the major considerations are for example and these seem to be pretty much found in most data looking at this problem on a national level;
    • Socioeconomic Status
    • Dietary Habits
    • Physical Inactivity
    • Cultural Factors
    • Healthcare Access
    • Education

    One or a combination of these factors can be and is complex and challenging to address obesity uniformly across the states and again not necessarily on that individual basis, which like I said will cover the full spectrum of healthfulness.
  • Corina1143
    Corina1143 Posts: 4,076 Member
    While food is as cheap or cheaper in the middle states, it is a larger percentage of our budget. Gym membership may be the same across the nation, making it cheap for those with higher income, but very expensive for middle states with lower income. City people may walk to the gym. I drive 6 miles there, 6 back. so commuting expense also matters. Our homes may be bigger. We own the land it sits on and more.

    We also have slightly different ideals and expectations.
    Where I grew up-- town of 800 people, common in middle states, it's not as important to impress people with your body or your clothes, since everyone knows every detail of your life. They know your heart, where size really does matter.

    For lots of people in the country, size only counts with age. When their health starts to suffer from effects of the weight, They start to pay attention. Until then, it just doesn't matter enough to do the work.
  • iradi8
    iradi8 Posts: 807 Member
    I'm from Louisiana where food is love. Food is everything here. It's the culture. And it's some of the best tasting food in the country!
  • MaggieGirl135
    MaggieGirl135 Posts: 1,037 Member
    A factor to be considered…# of transplants in the state. Colorado (supposedly) has many transplants and I would guess that a good number come for the many outdoor athletic endeavors to be had.
  • robertw486
    robertw486 Posts: 2,438 Member
    It would be an interesting deep dive to really nail it down better, but I think the overall cultural attitude would be a big player in the game. Money and time no doubt play a part for many, but for most it's probably more self motivation and being accountable.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,918 Member
    edited January 19
    Georgia? Fried chicken. Biscuits. Gravy. Soul food. Every single thing, fried: green tomato’s, okra, squash blossoms, zuchinni, cauliflower. Cakes come with heavy flour based frostings, laid on thick. It’s not a cake if you don’t have more frosting than cake. Even pies are heavy: pecan, chess, sweet potato.

    My guess would be, the bulk of our population centers around Atlanta. We have some of the worst traffic in the world. Some people are commuting several hours a day, then ferrying kids around when they get home.

    That’s a lot of time sitting, captive in your car, with your Starbucks, Chikfila, and other salves to your frustration.

    There’s a reason Chikfila is rebuilding all their stores to have multiple drive through lanes. It’s wild. It’s like a 1930’s cartoon version of things moving down a factory line and they converge at one window.

    During the pandemic, they outfitted people with Dalek style suits with coolant inside and face shields on top. You half expected them to shout EXTERMINATE as they waved their pad at you to take your order. That’s how desperate we were for fast food.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,918 Member
    edited January 19
    One time I made a chocolate cake and did that thing where you lay a paper lace doily on top and sprinkle powdered sugar over it, in lieu of frosting. Omg. You’ve NEVER heard so much bellyaching in your life!
  • ellammcg2911
    ellammcg2911 Posts: 2 Member
    From strictly personal observations, living and working in the south with a lot of interaction from folks from rural areas of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi, there’s a noticeable difference in type and quantity of foods. I see folks drink soda frequently, water rarely, rarely eat vegetables, eat few fruits, and use consume a lot of salt, sugar, and fat in all meals and even when alternatives are provided, they are refused. Buffets are rare up north but common down south; my northern relatives were shocked at their prevalence. I was brought up (in NY) that it was shameful to overeat but it’s almost celebrated down here by many. Perhaps non-judgmental education would help, including how to cook healthier without sacrificing taste.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,839 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »
    One time I made a chocolate cake and did that thing where you lay a paper lace doily on top and sprinkle powdered sugar over it, in lieu of frosting. Omg. You’ve NEVER heard so much bellyaching in your life!

    Have you ever watched little kids eat cupcakes? 9/10 of them will eat the frosting off the top and leave the cupcake behind. The cake part is considered the trash part by them🤣
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,918 Member
    @sollyn23l2
    OT temporary diversion.

    I love the new profile pic! You are rocking it!!!!
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,634 Member
    edited January 22
    I'd like to see if there's ever been any links to population density... 🤔

    I tend to walk in bulk for at least an hour or so at a time now that I live in the country and have to drive to a park or downtown.

    Before moving here, I'd walk more in small spurts which was probably healthier; my daughter to school and back, walked to work, walked to the Circle K for coffee, walked 10 minutes to a little bakery, etc.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,634 Member
    I've heard Colorado has a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities- skiing and hiking, etc. I'm sure that makes a difference.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,634 Member
    edited January 22
    research has shown correlations in education levels which probably is also correlated to wealth?

    Maybe there's a lot of educated, poor people (like me😂)in Colorado.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 8,918 Member
    AdahPotatah2024 wrote: »
    I'd like to see if there's ever been any links to population density... 🤔

    I tend to walk in bulk for at least an hour or so at a time now that I live in the country and have to drive to a park or downtown.

    Before moving here, I'd walk more in small spurts which was probably healthier; my daughter to school and back, walked to work, walked to the Circle K for coffee, walked 10 minutes to a little bakery, etc.

    Zillow does a “walkability” rating, which I find very interesting.

    We are in a historical suburban town, with extensive walking trails, and if you live close in, you can walk to just about anything- including doctors appointments, gyms, yoga, restaurants, theaters.

    I have put less than 30,000 miles on my car in the nine and a half years we’ve lived here, and that’s mostly going to grocery store, and giving the dog rides (just because!).

    That’s one of the reasons my health has improved so much, so yes, walkability does definitely affect health.

    However , having said that, it shocks me to the core that many of our neighbors, having paid a premium for the enviable location, will drive the less than quarter mile to the “Square” and circle repeatedly for parking. One lawyer pays for monthly parking next to his law office which is maybe 300 yards from his home.

    I just can’t make sense of it.
  • sollyn23l2
    sollyn23l2 Posts: 1,839 Member
    springlering62 wrote: »
    @sollyn23l2
    OT temporary diversion.

    I love the new profile pic! You are rocking it!!!!

    Awe, thank you!
  • COGypsy
    COGypsy Posts: 1,392 Member
    AdahPotatah2024 wrote: »
    I've heard Colorado has a lot of opportunities for outdoor activities- skiing and hiking, etc. I'm sure that makes a difference.

    There are lots of outdoor things going on in Colorado for sure. But just as much is the general culture of activity. I have friends that basically don’t use cars in the nicer months—just walk or ride bikes wherever they’re going. A lot of restaurants and shops have bike racks out front. I have two grocery stores, a drug store, a French bakery, two dry cleaners, and the best Asian restaurant in town within about 2 blocks. The only place I drive to is one of the grocery stores. I shop curbside and only every two or three weeks, so it ends up being too much to carry home. I get a lot of grief about that, lol.

    I don’t know about the entire state, but in my city we probably walk and bike day-to-day more than we end up doing mountain stuff. I don’t hike or ski, but walk my dog a mile a day and walk most places for my routine running around and get a good bit of movement in most days.
  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 12,615 Member
    Another Coloradan here, and I can attest to @cogypsy statement about lots of walking, bike riding, etc. It should also be noted that the biggest population centers in the state revolve around military bases, which lends to having more access to gyms, parks, hiking trails and the like to accommodate the "fit" military members and families. Folks going up to the mountains to ski or whatnot are the minority, usually more visitors than residents. (It will be interesting, and not in a good way, to see if the big influx of former-Californians moving into the state has an impact on average behavior.)

    Also, although we are a mountain state which gets plenty of snow, the high average altitude means the sunlight we receive (more than 300 days per year are sunny) has less atmosphere to penetrate, so the snow receives a higher volume of UV rays and tends to melt faster than your stereotypical "winter" state, which helps get people outside even during the winter since temps also do not get cold often, and when they do they don't stay cold for long.

    Food-wise we have more chain restaurants than locally-owned, which is a shame. But we also have plenty of markets specializing in fresh produce, locally grown. The few pot-lucks I have attended tend to lean more towards soups than pastas, with cookies instead of cakes.
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,634 Member
    I do see that Colorado is significantly higher educated/ wealthier, also, than average in U.S. Definately not saying that we are always wiser, being educated, but most the time make slightly more money..Having the option to choose to live in those areas with a lot of recreational opportunities and especially being less stressed overall, I think makes a big difference!
  • AdahPotatah2024
    AdahPotatah2024 Posts: 2,634 Member
    Chronic stress is bad for the waistline!😬

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