Events Calendar
In This Section
Former D.C. Mayor Barry charged with stalking
4 dead in fireworks explosions
Disney monorail crash kills train operator
Palin's sudden decision to quit stuns Republicans
Two Americans killed at base in Afghanistan
Statue of Liberty crown finally open after eight years
California regulators warn of marijuana, cancer link
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
Pets:
Summit teams up with Rescue Waggin' to save dogs
The Heldenfiles:
Songs for an American Day
Patrick McManamon:
Touching on the Browns, Cavs
Akron Zips:
Opponent outlook: Northern Illinois
Browns Bulletin:
Single-game ticket sales begin July 11
Tribe Matters:
Wedge assured of job through season
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth test showed marijuana
Kent State Sports:
Men's Basketball Scheduling update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Updated: Free Agency: Another Gone - Apparently
All Da King's Men:
The Obligatory Palin Post
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Wow….Sarah Palin Resigns Governorship
Akron Law Café:
Abraham Lincoln and the Fourth of July
Varsity Letters:
Highland senior receives honor
See Jane Style:
Picnic Wear
Car Chase:
Where do We Go from Here?
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Happy 4th of July!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Tom asks where to stay while visiting the football Hall of Fame.
Sound Check:
Rundgren fans rejoice!: Second night of AWATS at The Civic added
HRLite House:
Morscruethal Behaviors or Just Lip Service?
Akron Gamer:
Hot link: Best of Nintendo at E3
Ohio's 28.1 percent obesity rate ranks 17th in nation, CDC reports
By Federica Narancio
McClatchy Newspapers
Published on Friday, Jul 18, 2008
WASHINGTON: More than a quarter of Americans self-report that they're obese, and in three states — Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee — more than 30 percent do, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
Colorado had the lowest reported obesity rate: 19.3 percent. Ohio recorded the 17th highest obesity rate among the states, at 28.1 percent.
The 2007 national average of 25.6 percent compares with a 23.9 percent obesity rate in 2005, the CDC said. Actual obesity is likely to be greater, because the figures are based on self-estimated height and weight from telephone health surveys of 350,000 people.
Obesity is defined as a body mass index of 30 or above. It's calculated using height and weight. A 5-foot-9-inch adult who weighs 203 pounds, for example, would have a BMI of 30.
The South reported the highest obesity rate: 27 percent. In part, experts blame Southern eating habits, poverty and demographic groups that have higher obesity rates.
The 2007 findings are similar to results from the same survey the three previous years. Mississippi has had the highest obesity rate every year since 2004. But Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana have also clustered near the top of the list, often so close that the difference between their rates and Mississippi's may not be statistically significant.
The South has had high death rates from heart disease and stroke, health risks that have been linked to obesity, some experts noted.
In the Midwest, the obesity rate was 25.3 percent, compared with 23.3 percent in the Northeast and 22.1 percent in the West.
Men and women in their 20s were the leanest, according to the CDC. Those in their 50s were most likely to be obese.
Dr. William Dietz, the director of the CDC's Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity, offered this advice: ''Eat more fruits and vegetables, engage in more physical activity and reduce the consumption of high-calorie foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.''
The CDC study only surveyed adults, but results for children are similar, said Dr. Miriam Vos, assistant professor of pediatrics at Atlanta's Emory School of Medicine.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON: More than a quarter of Americans self-report that they're obese, and in three states — Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee — more than 30 percent do, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
