“F as in fat” report: Colorado the only State with obesity rate is less than 20%

Congratulations to Colorado. Kind of … The most recent “F as in FAT” report by trust for America’s health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation says that Colorado the only State in the Union with an obesity rate of less than 20%. And even in Colorado, it’s still a close shave: 19.1% of the inhabitants are obese. (Obesity rates in the District of Columbia actually decreased–but like any D.C. voters know, we’re not a State! A topic for another blog …)The obesity-map on the trust for America’s health Web site is a sea of red, showing all the countries in which obesity rates are higher than 25%. Many of the findings of the report relate to previous week blog about racial disparities in health care: obesity rates are higher for African Americans and Latinos. The more educated you are, or the more money you earn, the less likely you are to obese.One important takeaway for wellness professionals is the jump in diabetes rates. In several States are diabetes rates now more than 10%–an alarming figure for each company struggling to pay health care premiums. I can’t think of a better reason to expand employee wellness programs. One Colorado resident explained his State lower rates of obesity by pointing to the abundance of opportunities for outdoor activities-hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, and similar-to promote the exercise. I think he’s onto something. Many of the States with the highest obesity rates also had the lowest rates of physical activity. Check out the map to see where your state. And for more detailed information, check out the arena 365 days of wellness blog. She works her way through the 50 States in alphabetical order.

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Tagged as: Colorado, obesity, report, State