Americans Are Still Getting Fatter
Survey Shows Obesity Rates Climb In 31 States, No State Shows Decline
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Two-thirds of American adults, and approximately 25 million American children, are overweight or obese, based on being at the 85th percentile or above for their body mass index.
A lack of exercise is a huge factor in obesity rates. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found last year that more than 22 percent of Americans did not engage in any physical activity in the past month. The percentage is greater than 30 percent in four states: Mississippi, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Meanwhile, Minnesotans led the way when it came to exercise. An estimated 15.4 percent of the state's residents did not engage in any physical exercise — the best rate in the nation. Still, the state ranked 28th overall when it came to the percentage of obese adults.
Another factor in obesity rates is poverty. The five poorest states were all in the top 10 when it came to obesity rates. An exception to that rule was the District of Columbia and New Mexico. Both had high poverty rates, but also one of the better obesity rates among adults.
States With Highest Obesity Rates
1. Mississippi (30.6%)
2. West Virginia (29.8%)
3. Alabama (29.4%)
4. Louisiana (28.2%)
5. (tie) South Carolina (27.8%)
5. (tie) Tennessee (27.8%)
7. Kentucky (27.5%)
8. Arkansas (27.0%)
9. (tie) Indiana (26.8%)
9. (tie) Michigan (26.8%)
9. (tie) Oklahoma (26.8%)
12. (tie) Missouri (26.3%)
12. (tie) Texas (26.3%)
14. Georgia (26.1%)
15. Ohio (26.0%)
States With Lowest Obesity Rate
51. Colorado (17.6%)
50. Massachusetts (19.8%)
49. Vermont (20.0%)
47. (tie) Connecticut (20.1%)
47. (tie) Hawaii (20.1%)
46. Rhode Island (20.5%)
45. Montana (20.7%)
44. Utah (21.1%)
43. Arizona (21.7%)
42. New Mexico (22
Source: Trust for America's Health
MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 39 CommentsEat, drink and be merry!! Cheers.
Posted by GrammaWhamma at 01:42 AM : Aug 28, 2007
GrammaWhamma, I''m what you would call a "health nut", who keeps down my weight because I would rather be healthy than sick. But I don''t put down those who have a problem with overweight. I have my own areas of imperfection, as we all do. I wish you well.
I love it in this country, you call a fat person, fatty, holy heel breaks out. Yet, call a person thats under weight, skinny, or make fun of them in any way, Weeellllll thats perfectly OK
Bullcrap, this country is out of whack, keep eating fattys.............LOL
Posted by bogusbones at 06:32 PM : Aug 27, 2007
I think that would be a great idea - tax junk food. They put a tax on Cigarettes and Alcohol, and those two things kill people, right? Evidently, the high-calorie junk food is posing a health risk as well. Tax these food items, and make vegetables, fruits, etc. less expensive for the consumer - and help the farmers and ranchers as well! Nutritious food have gotten unbelievable expensive for the lower and middle classes, and fast-fix have become an inferior alternative. Also, smaller portions!!!! :O)
...and enjoying it more!
Eat, drink and be merry!! Cheers.
In fact, I believe a study would probably show that Americans are not necessarily eating more food, but are ingesting more unnatural additives in the foods they eat, but no one will do such a study, or release the results of such, as they would step on too many toes.
..I am poor..so yer attacks those you don''t aprove of..Telling us..what to ..extersise when some with handicaps..can''t very well...get real , bogusbones you may be just the arse that has of the things you said it yer post...I am 52.
Some have eating disorders, but with TV, video games and sedentary entertainment, we''re going to be saddled with generations of obese people who will put huge strains on our medical systems.
Educate these people and if they don''t react, tax the types of foods they eat.
word is that blue state democrats are threating to make all southern fried chicken franchises illegal...
this means war!
ha,ha,ha.
general william tecumseh sherman...time to come back from the grave and lay those southern states low again.
war, hate, fat people, bush lovers, bible thumpers, flag wavers...
that''s the south for you, folks!
- Posted by seven-pesos at 04:25 PM : Aug 27, 2007
Obviously, all the best cooks are in the South.
Southern style cooking is the best in the nation.
they''re harvesting all that cheese from those fat azzed dixie women.
grab yourself one of those obese southern mamas,
lift up that fat ol'' tittie and scrape yourself a handful of that dixie cheese.
hmmmm...foul, but aromatic.
don''t forget the saltines!
ha,ha,ha.
war, hate, christian creeps, republican snakes...
nothing good comes out of the south!
ha,ha,ha.
that''s the south for you, folks!
bush country...christian country...republican country.
nothing good comes out of the south.
those southern christians are telling their people that the democrats will take away their food supply.
ha,ha,ha.
fat, happy, southern, christian and republican
that''s the south for you, folks!
all the fat people are southern people.
christian people.
all the fattest states voted republican.
what does that tell you?
fat, christian, republican...
that''s the south for you, folks!
You are a hate mongering fool. Ignorance defines you and a reflection of the dogs you evolved from. Do me a favor and drop dead, do the gene pool a favor! If you actually did that, the mean I.Q. of the nation would jump 5 points.
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