Overeating, consuming high-caloric and unhealthy foods, and the lack of exercise and other physical activity are contributing to a dire obesity epidemic in the United States.
According to the CDC, in the past 20 years, instances of obesity have skyrocketed, triggering a wave of debilitating conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many forms of cancer.
Consider these obesity statistics:
-Nearly 3 in 4 Americans are either overweight or obese.
-More than a quarter (25.6 percent) of all Americans are obese, which means they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
-More men (26.4 percent) than women (24.8 percent) are obese.
-Only two states or territories had obesity rates of less than 20 percent: Colorado and Washington, DC.
-The Deep South had the highest obesity rates: More than 3 in 10 residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia are obese.
-Louisiana (33 percent, or 1 in every 3 people) and Tennessee (32.3 percent) are the states with the highest obesity rates.
-Colorado (18.6 percent) has the lowest obesity rate of all states.
*Sources
Forbes.com, citing World Health Organization data
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Obesity Society, citing CDC data
According to the CDC, in the past 20 years, instances of obesity have skyrocketed, triggering a wave of debilitating conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and many forms of cancer.
Consider these obesity statistics:
-Nearly 3 in 4 Americans are either overweight or obese.
-More than a quarter (25.6 percent) of all Americans are obese, which means they have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
-More men (26.4 percent) than women (24.8 percent) are obese.
-Only two states or territories had obesity rates of less than 20 percent: Colorado and Washington, DC.
-The Deep South had the highest obesity rates: More than 3 in 10 residents of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia are obese.
-Louisiana (33 percent, or 1 in every 3 people) and Tennessee (32.3 percent) are the states with the highest obesity rates.
-Colorado (18.6 percent) has the lowest obesity rate of all states.
*Sources
Forbes.com, citing World Health Organization data
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
The Obesity Society, citing CDC data
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