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Obesity rankings show Americans are bigger than ever
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Flickr Image: Courtesy of malingering
The 2009 National Annual Obesity Rankings are out and it’s not good news. According to the new report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, a total of 23 states showed increases in their adult overweight population and no states showed a decrease. Mississippi ranks #1 for the second year in a row with over 30% of its adult population being overweight. Alabama came in a close second with just under 30%. Although Colorado proved to be the leanest state at only 17.8%, not even one single state is anywhere near the goal of reducing the national obesity rate to 15% by 2010. Instead experts predict the obesity rate will continue to rise in 2009.
The obesity epidemic in our country is a serious problem that’s not going away anytime soon. “It's not going to be solved in the doctor's office but in the community, where we change norms," states Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America’s Health (a non-profit health policy organization). We need to stop treating the symptoms and get to the root of the problem. Change needs to happen in the home, in our schools and in the way we live our day to day lives. People must take responsibility and educate themselves about prevention and the importance of living a healthy active lifestyle. The health of our people, our economy and our healthcare system depend on it.
Start by doing one healthy thing today. Take a 10 minute walk at lunch, read an article about fitness or healthy nutrition, go to bed 1 hour earlier or make a healthy dinner at home instead of eating out. Just imagine if we all did one little thing each day what it could add up to at the end of a year or ten years.
What healthy choices did you make today?
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