Adult Obesity

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a new map detailing adult obesity rates across the country. In 1995, when the CDC first collected this data in all states, not a single one had an obesity rate higher than 19%. In 2013, the CDC announced, every single state in the country had an obesity rate of at least 20%.

Obesity prevalence in 2013 varies across states and regions

· No state had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%.

· 7 states and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity between 20% and <25%.

· 23 states had a prevalence of obesity between 25% and <30%.

· 18 states had a prevalence of obesity between 30% and <35%.

· 2 states (Mississippi and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity of 35% or greater.

· The South had the highest prevalence of obesity (30.2%), followed by the Midwest (30.1%), the Northeast (26.5%), and the West (24.9%).

Rates of obesity were highest in Mississippi (35.1%) and West Virginia (35.1%) and lowest in Hawaii (21.8%) and Colorado (21.3%).

Here is the new map showing that grim picture:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/images/2013-state-obesity-prevalence-map.png

Childhood Obesity Facts:

In children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years, obesity was defined as a body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile of the sex-specific CDC BMI-for-age growth charts.

· Approximately 17% (or 12.7 million) of children and adolescents aged 2—19 years had obesity.

· The prevalence of obesity among children aged 2 to 5 years decreased significantly from 13.9% in 2003-2004 to 8.4% in 2011-2012.

· There are significant racial and age disparities in obesity prevalence among children and adolescents. In 2011-2012, obesity prevalence was higher among Hispanics (22.4%) and non-Hispanic black youth (20.2%) than non-Hispanic white youth (14.1%). The prevalence of obesity was lower in non-Hispanic Asian youth (8.6%) than in youth who were non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black or Hispanic.

· In 2011-2012, 8.4% of 2- to 5-year-olds had obesity compared with 17.7% of 6- to 11-year-olds and 20.5% of 12- to 19-year-olds.

· Overall, obesity prevalence among children whose adult head of household completed college was approximately half that of those whose adult head of household did not complete high school (9% vs 19% among girls; 11% vs 21% among boys) in 1999–2010.

· Among non-Hispanic white children, the lowest prevalence of obesity was observed among those whose adult head of household completed college; however, this was not the case for non-Hispanic black children.

· Over time, the prevalence of obesity among girls whose adult head of household had not finished high school increased from 17% (1999–2002) to 23% (2007–2010), but decreased for girls whose adult head of household completed college from 11% (1999–2002) to 7% (2007–2010). There was not a similar finding among boys.

· Obesity prevalence was the highest among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 100% or less (household income that is at or below the poverty threshold), followed by those in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 101%–130%, and then found to be lower in children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 131% or larger (greater household income).

· Obesity prevalence on the basis of family income among children from low-income households was:

o 14.2% among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of less than or equal to 50%.

o 14.5% among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 51–100%.

o 13.4% among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 101–130%.

o 12.4% among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 131–150%.

o 11.8% among children in families with an income-to-poverty ratio of 151-185%.

Don’t brush aside Obesity. Talk to your child’s doctor about it.

Source: CDC & Business Insider