New Report Shows Obesity Rates Still on the Rise

Two-thirds of American adults are either overweight or obese, and adult obesity rates rose in 31 states last year, according to a new RWJF-supported report from Trust for America's Health (TFAH). Twenty-two states experienced an increase for the second year in a row, and no states experienced a decrease.

The fourth annual edition of F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America also highlighted results of public opinion surveys. Among the key findings: 85 percent of Americans believe obesity is an epidemic, and nearly the same number (81 percent) think the government should play a role in addressing the epidemic. But while the obesity epidemic continues to draw increased attention, there hasn't been a coordinated national response to match the scope of the problem.

F as in Fat includes rankings of state obesity rates, a review of federal and state government policies aimed at reducing or preventing obesity, and recommendations for families, communities, schools, employers, the food and beverage industries, health professionals, and government.

Rankings and Analysis

According to the report, 10 of the 15 states with the highest obesity rates are located in the South. Mississippi, where nearly one in three adults is reported to be obese, has the highest rate of adult obesity in the country for the third year in a row. The 2007 report marks the first time adult obesity rates have exceeded 30 percent in a single state. Even in the leanest state, Colorado, the adult obesity rate increased slightly over the past year from 16.9 percent to 17.6 percent.

The report also finds that rates of overweight children (ages 10 to 17) ranged from a high of 22.8 percent in Washington, D.C., to a low of 8.5 percent in Utah. Eight of the 10 states with the highest rates of overweight children were in the South.

Public Opinion Survey on Obesity

The 2007 F as in Fat report also contains a national opinion survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research. A large majority of survey participants believe the government needs to play a role in addressing the obesity epidemic, including proposals to expand education programs about healthy living, provide low-cost access to exercise programs and reduce the marketing of unhealthy foods. This is particularly true with respect to childhood obesity, where Americans show strong concern about the lack of physical activity and nutrition provided in schools.