Obesity rates have topped 35 percent of the adult population in seven states, according to a report released on Wednesday, and experts are calling for urgent prevention campaigns to be implemented to prevent related diseases costing billions in healthcare spending, CBS News reported.
At least one in five adults in each state is obese and there is no sign that the rates are improving, according to new national data released by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
In 2012, no state had an obesity rate at or above 35 percent, but by 2016 that number had jumped to five states. In 2017, seven states had obesity rates topping 35 percent.
Iowa, Massachusetts, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island and South Carolina saw a significant increase in adult obesity rates between 2016 and 2017, while 22 states featured between 30 and 35 percent and 19 states had adult obesity rates between 25 and 30 percent.
“America’s obesity epidemic continues to have serious health and cost consequences for individuals, their families and our nation,” said John Auerbach, president and CEO of Trust for America’s Health.
“The good news is that there is growing evidence that certain prevention programs can reverse these trends. But we won’t see meaningful declines in state and national obesity rates until they are implemented throughout the nation and receive sustained support.”
Obesity can bring about a range of health problems that include high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke, the American Heart Association noted.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity-related conditions are some of the leading causes of preventable, premature death.
Obesity also costs $190 billion a year in weight-related medical bills, the American Heart Association added.
John Wiesman, secretary of health at the Washington State Department of Health, said obesity is a challenge in nearly every state.
“Our goal at the state level is to work across sectors to advocate for and implement evidence-based policies that encourage active healthy living and support healthy and safe communities that provide access to healthy foods, physical activity, and clinical preventive services,” he said.
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