"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

In almost half of the US states, the obesity rate is over 35%

September 13, 2024 – Obesity stays a major health problem within the United States, at the same time as weight-loss drugs change into increasingly popular, in response to a brand new Data from the CDC.

On Thursday, the CDC reported that in 23 states, not less than 35 percent of adults at the moment are considered obese – a pointy increase from 2013, when no state had an obesity rate above 35 percent.

According to the CDC, 20 percent of adults in every state are obese, with the very best rates within the South and Midwest. Arkansas, Mississippi, and West Virginia all have obesity rates above 40 percent. Colorado and the District of Columbia are on the lower end, with obesity rates between 20 and 25 percent.

As education levels increased, obesity rates amongst adults decreased. According to the CDC, 36.5% of adults with out a highschool diploma, 34.7% of adults with a highschool diploma, 35.7% of adults with a university education, and 27.1% of school graduates were obese.

When breaking down the information by demographics, the obesity rate amongst Asian adults was not above 35% in any state. Among black adults, obesity rates were above 35% in 38 states, amongst Hispanic adults in 34 states, amongst American Indian or Alaska Native adults in 30 states, and amongst white adults in 16 states.

The CDC report was based on information on the scale and weight of the Behavioral Risk Factor Monitoring System. An adult with obesity has a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. BMI estimates how healthy your weight relies in your height.

Jamy Ard, MD, of Wake Forest Baptist Health Weight Management Center, told Yahoo Life that national obesity rates will remain high even within the age of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs. Many individuals who take these drugs have a really high BMI, and though they shed extra pounds, they still have a BMI over 30, he said.

“If the CDC calls and they take the survey … they would still be classified as obese,” he said.