A report sponsored by two advocacy groups announced Tuesday that Americans are fatter in 28 states than they were this time last year.  Southern states particularly fared poorly; 10 out of 11 of the states with the highest obesity rates are in the south, with Mississippi ranking number 1 for the 6th year in a row.

As has been reported numerous times by Food Consumer, it has been estimated that up to 70% of all doctor visits are lifestyle related.  In glancing at the newest statistics on the obesity trend, it's easy to ascertain that many of these "lifestyle" visits to the doctor are either directly or indirectly related to obesity.

And it's no wonder.  Obesity leads to a myriad of illnesses, particularly heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, as well as muscoskeletal ailments such as as arthritis.

More Obesity Details

A further breakdown of the newly released statistics reveals that in 38 states, over 1/4 of the population is obese, with ethnicity and income playing an apparent role.  In 40 states and the District of Columbia, the obesity rate among blacks is higher than it is among whites and hispanics.

The problem also appears to be a respector of persons when it comes to income.  35% of people earning $15,000 per year are obese, while only 24% of adults earning $50,000 or more have significant weight problems.

Speaking about the crisis, Jeffrey Levi, director of Trust for America's Health states, "Obesity is one of the biggest health challenges the country has ever faced, and troublign disparities exist based on race, ethnicity, region, and income."(Reuters)

The Importance of Physical Activity

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 50% of all American adults get the proper amount of exercise.  Here are CDC guidelines for each age group:

*Adults should aim for 2.5 hours of moderate aerobic activity per week, as well as muscle strengthening exercises two or more days a week.
*Children should get 60 or more minutes per day of physical activity
*Older adults who are reasonably fit and have no significant health problems should shoot for 2.5 hours of physical activity spread throughout the week.  The CDC also states that 10 minute increments are fine.