Obesity remains high in the US, but more states are showing progress, a new report finds

For the first time in more than a decade the number of states with rates of obesity of or more has dropped an encouraging sign that America s epidemic of excess weight might be improving But cuts to federal staff and programs that address chronic syndrome could endanger that progress according to a new statement circulated Thursday Nineteen states had obesity rates of or higher in down from states the year before according to an analysis of the latest facts collected by the U S Centers for Illness Control and Prevention The CDC statistics was analyzed by the nonprofit group Trust for America s Robustness The group s analysis follows a CDC review last year that uncovered that the overall rate of obesity in the U S is high but holding steady affecting about of the population While the decline is positive it s too soon to call it a trend stated Dr J Nadine Gracia president and chief executive for TFAH And with fresh federal funding cuts staff layoffs and eliminated programs this prospective progress is also at exposure Gracia commented A U S Vitality and Human Services Department spokesman reported in an email that the administration is encouraged by the new figures showing progress in the fight against obesity We are restructuring constituents healthcare programs to eliminate waste reduce bureaucracy and redirect information toward real prevention stated spokesman Andrew Nixon The latest assessment analyzed material from the CDC s Behavioral Exposure Factor Surveillance System which uses annual telephone surveys to collect evidence on strength behaviors and chronic conditions in U S states and territories It indicated that states had obesity rates among adults of or higher states had rates between and and nine states had obesity rates of below The rates varied from a low of in Colorado to a high of more than in West Virginia Between and no state had statistically substantial increases or decreases in their obesity rates after states saw important increases in the previous five years the assessment identified Before no state had an adult obesity prevalence at or above By a dozen states had rates that high and the number continued to climb In adults obesity is defined as having a body mass index of or higher Body mass index is a calculation based on height and weight Obesity is a chronic condition linked to a host of serious medical problems including diabetes stroke cancer and heart infection It s not clear exactly what may be driving the apparent improvements in obesity Wider use of drugs such as Wegovy and Zepbound which target appetite and slow digestion could be starting to show up in communicated details revealed Aviva Musicus a science director for the Center for Science in the Constituents Interest an advocacy group Increased encouragement for nutrition assistance programs during the COVID- pandemic might also be a factor she suggested The overview also details a broad range of federal state and local efforts that focus on improving nutrition and boosting physical activity noted Solveig Cunningham an Emory University global wellness expert who specializes in obesity I think the summary would argue that various of these interventions may definitely be achieving stated Cunningham who was not involved with the research That would suggest that there are possibly tactics in which we could prevent obesity at the population level which would be a really really big deal