these conditions tip the scale to obesity

The US is losing its battle against inflation.

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that Americans are heavier than ever before.

The CDC defines obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of at least 30, and a shocking 20% ​​of Americans meet these criteria, with the Midwest and South reporting the highest levels of weight.

And the condition is on the rise worldwide, with the WHO reporting that the proportion of adults aged 18 and over living with obesity doubled from 7% to 16% from 1990 to 2022.

The CDC said that before 2013, no state in the union had an adult obesity prevalence at or above 35%. However, 23 states have hit that dark spot within the last decade.

The most recent data are from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an interview survey conducted by the CDC and state health departments.

Four southern states – West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana – had the highest rates, with 40% of citizens considered obese. West Virginia topped the list with an obesity rate of 41.2%.

Last year, the hill state was found to be the unhealthiest state due to a combination of worrying levels of air pollution, obesity, physical inactivity, poor sleep, smoking, heavy drinking and tooth loss.

West Virginia was also recently named the unhappiest state in the US due to its alarming rates of adult depression, poor emotional and physical well-being, poor work environment and insufficient sleep.

“These new data highlight the need for obesity prevention and treatment, which starts with building healthier communities where people of all ages have safe places for physical activity and where health care and healthy food options are accessible and affordable for everyone”, said Dr. Karen Hacker, director of the CDC’s National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Hacker points out that these efforts should extend to young people, “Preventing obesity at young ages is critical because we know that obese children often become obese adults.”

Indeed, obesity affects nearly 20% of children and adolescents in the US, and the new guidelines suggest that children struggling with the condition should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, with treatment including but not limited to medications such as Ozempic surgery and gastric bypass.

CDC results show that Colorado and DC have the lowest obesity rates, but no state has obesity rates lower than one in five adults.

Colorado was recently ranked as the healthiest state based on a variety of factors, including air quality, obesity rates, physical activity, health conditions, sleep patterns, smoking and drinking habits, and food consumption.

Although up to one in four Colorado adults are still considered obese, the Centennial State saw a slight decrease in obesity from last year. Meanwhile, the relatively low ranking of DC may be due to the high degree of physical activity and the low degree of food insecurity. DC was recently named the best state in the country.

Dr. Ruth Petersen, director of the CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, said the condition is deeply misunderstood and unnecessarily stigmatized. “Obesity is a complex disease. There is a common misconception that obesity results from a lack of willpower and individual failures to eat well and exercise.

Peterson explains that many factors, including genes, medication, stress, sleep, the gut microbiome, and access to health care and safe spaces to exercise, contribute to obesity, “Understanding these factors helps us identify potential strategies to prevention and treatment”.

Along with stigmatization about their weight, obese adults have a higher risk of serious health conditions, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, some cancers, and compromised mental health.

CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity provides proven strategies to reduce the risks associated with obesity, which it prioritizes at the state and local levels.

Strategies include making physical activity safe and accessible for all, facilitating healthy food choices everywhere, making it easier to initiate and continue breastfeeding, strengthening obesity prevention standards for early care and education settings, and increasing the number and access to family healthy weight programs.