Thread: US Obesity Rates in the US Continues To Rise

I read an article published in NYTimes last August 3, 2010 and it was really troubling. According to health officials, the obesity rates reached 30% or more in 9 states last year. These 9 states are:

1. Alabama
2. Arkansas
3. Kentucky
4. Louisiana
5. Mississippi (Highest rate of 34.3%)
6. Missouri
7. Oklahoma
8. Tennessee
9. West Virginia

I will highlight the relevant information from the article:

The increases mean that 2.4 million more people became obese from 2007 to 2009, bringing the total to 72.5 million, or 26.7 percent of the population. The numbers are part of a continuing and ominous trend.

Dr. Thomas Frieden, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said

"Obesity rates have doubled in adults and tripled in children in recent decades."

If the numbers keep going up, he added, “more people will get sick and die from the complications of obesity, such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer.”

What are your thoughts/opinion on this?


Source: NYTimes - Obesity Rates Keep Rising, Troubling Health Officials

They should exercise more and watch what they eat.. Would you know if health problems such as heart attack or high blood pressure also rose? I won't be surprised if it did.

2.4 million more people became obese in only 2 years..That is not good.. They need to be introduced to exercise programs and how to have a healthy lifestyle..

I agree with you kathy, however, I'm sure someone already to tried but that failed. If really depends on the person. You can tell them the right thing to do but they choose not to do it anyway, even if they knew you're right.