Study estimates state obesity rates will skyrocket by 2030
CBS/istockphoto
Mississippi is expected to retain its crown as the fattest state in the nation for at least two more decades. The report predicts 67 percent of that state's adults will be obese by 2030; that would be an astounding increase from Mississippi's current 35 percent obesity rate.
The new projections were released Tuesday by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The two organizations regularly report on obesity to raise awareness, and they rely on government figures.
But in this case, their dismal forecast goes beyond the 42 percent national obesity level that federal health officials project by 2030.
About two-thirds of Americans are overweight now. That includes those who are obese, a group that accounts for about 36 percent. Obesity rates have been holding steady in recent years.
Trust for America's Health officials said their projections are based in part on state-by-state surveys by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from 1999 through 2010. Those numbers come from what residents say are their height and weight when asked by interviewers over the phone. People aren't always so accurate about that.
The researchers then looked at other national data in which residents were actually weighed and measured and they made adjustments for how much people in each state might fudge the truth about their weight. They also tried to apply recent trends in obesity rates, along with other factors, to make the predictions.
Officials with Trust for America's Health said they believe their projections are reasonable.
But their outlook suggests that even in the thinnest state - Colorado, where about one-fifth of residents are obese - 45 percent are predicted to be obese by 2030.
Perhaps more surprising - Delaware is expected to have obesity levels nearly as high as Mississippi. Delaware currently is in the middle of the pack when it comes to self-reported obesity rates.
The report didn't detail why some states' rates were expected to jump more than others.
CDC officials declined to comment on the new report.
Whichever estimates you trust most, it's clear that the nation's weight problem is going to continue, escalating the number cases of diabetes, heart disease and stroke, said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America's Health.
By 2030, medical costs from treating obesity-related diseases are likely to increase by $48 billion, to $66 billion per year, his report said.
The focus of so much of the ongoing debate about health care is over controlling costs, Levi said. "... We can only achieve it by addressing obesity. Otherwise, we're just tinkering around the margins."
Listed are 2011 obesity levels followed by the Trust for America's Health projections for 2030:
- Mississippi, 35 percent, 67 percent
- Oklahoma, 31 percent, 66 percent
- Delaware, 29 percent, 65 percent
- Tennessee, 29 percent, 63 percent
- South Carolina, 31 percent, 63 percent
- Alabama, 32 percent, 63 percent
- Kansas, 30 percent, 62 percent
- Louisiana, 33 percent, 62 percent
- Missouri, 30 percent, 62 percent
- Arkansas, 31 percent, 61 percent
- South Dakota, 28 percent, 60 percent
- West Virginia, 32 percent, 60 percent
- Kentucky, 30 percent, 60 percent
- Ohio, 30 percent, 60 percent
- Michigan, 31 percent, 59 percent
- Arizona, 25 percent, 59 percent
- Maryland, 28 percent, 59 percent
- Florida, 27 percent, 59 percent
- North Carolina, 29 percent, 58 percent
- New Hampshire, 26 percent, 58 percent
- Texas, 30 percent, 57 percent
- North Dakota, 28 percent, 57 percent
- Nebraska, 28 percent, 57 percent
- Pennsylvania, 29 percent, 57 percent
- Wyoming, 25 percent, 57 percent
- Wisconsin, 28 percent, 56 percent
- Indiana, 31 percent, 56 percent
- Washington, 27 percent, 56 percent
- Maine, 28 percent, 55 percent
- Minnesota, 26 percent, 55 percent
- Iowa, 29 percent, 54 percent
- New Mexico, 26 percent, 54 percent
- Rhode Island, 25 percent, 54 percent
- Illinois, 27 percent, 54 percent
- Georgia, 28 percent, 54 percent
- Montana, 25 percent, 54 percent
- Idaho, 27 percent, 53 percent
- Hawaii, 22 percent, 52 percent
- New York, 25 percent, 51 percent
- Virginia, 29 percent, 50 percent
- Nevada, 25 percent, 50 percent
- Oregon, 27 percent, 49 percent
- Massachusetts, 23 percent, 49 percent
- New Jersey, 24 percent, 49 percent
- Vermont, 25 percent, 48 percent
- California, 24 percent, 47 percent
- Connecticut, 25 percent, 47 percent
- Utah, 24 percent, 46 percent
- Alaska, 27 percent, 46 percent
- Colorado, 21 percent, 45 percent
- District of Columbia, 24 percent, 33 percent
Popular in Health
- "Clouds" singer known for viral hit dies from osteosarcoma
- Mysterious respiratory disease infects 7 in Ala., 2 dead
- Skin cancer self-exam: What to look for (PHOTOS)
- Molecule may be able to block cocaine addiction
- Emergency face transplant successfully performed in Poland
- Miami face-chewing victim still recovering one year later
- Disney pulls show that makes fun of gluten-free child
- Experimental asthma drug helps untreatable patients in study
Media lies about every damn thing they report. Can't trust CBS among many..
-------------------------
aww poor baby
you sound like one of Robmee's victims
All of them are Reputard states. They sit around all day posting on different liberal comment sections. Unlike Repubtards though, liberals actually exercise.
Reply to this comment
by kendb1331 September 18, 2012 4:42 PM EDT
Yea, they exercise their mouths.
----------------------------------
meant to be clever, I'm sure, but totally azzbackwards. Liberals do exercise. They hike and bike while right wingers howl and whine about their cold dead fingers on the wheels of their SUV's and soft drink sizes.
Howl and whine. If the tongue could lift weights republicans could move chris christie by licking him, which they do without reserve now
There goes all that talk about personal responsibility.
By this survey's standards, in 2030...?
everyone will be either the size of cows or skin and bones, covered with scabs
....stupid surveys