Obesity leads to
a huge range of health problems. It increases the risk of cardiovascular
problems and heart disease. It also raises cholesterol and blood pressure. But
even with more interventions in place, the obesity level in the USA continues
to rise.
According to a
Gallup poll, Americans are even heavier than before. More than two-thirds of
the population is either overweight or obese. Worryingly, a record number of
people are going from being just overweight to medically obese.
The Obesity Epidemic
Gallup has been
tracking obesity rates in the USA since 2008, and its latest survey is the
third in Gallup’s annual Well-Being Index. Gallup, which specializes in polling
conducted the survey in partnership with a consultancy firm called
Healthways.
Gallup asked 2.2
million Americans to self-report their height and their weight. Based on these
individual weights, Gallup then calculated the BMI of each person. A BMI of 30
or more is classified as obese.
The Gallup-Healthways
State of American Well-being 2014 Obesity Rankings found that 27.7% of the
population in the USA is obese. This is an increase from 2013, when the obesity
percentage was 27.1%, and it is a significant increase from 2008, when the
number recorded was 25.5%.
The five states
with the highest incidence of obesity are Mississippi, with 35.2 percent, West
Virginia with 34.4 percent, Louisiana with 33.2 percent, Arkansas with 33
percent and Oklahoma with 32.6 percent.
The five
slimmest states, where the percentage of people that are obese is lowest are
Hawaii with 19 percent, Colorado 20.3 percent, Montana 23.5 percent, California
with 23.9 percent and Massachusetts with 24 percent.
The Effects of Obesity
Obesity can lead
to a wide range of health problems, from diabetes to high blood pressure. The
mental and physical health effects that are associated with obesity could drive
up healthcare costs. But it could also have economic repercussions for states
where obesity levels are the highest.