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Wisconsin weighs in at No. 28 in obesity
Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight: study
BY DENEEN SMITH
dsmith@kenoshanews.com
Oh Wisconsin, you’re not so fat after all.
Well, actually, yes you are. But not quite so fat as a lot of those other guys. Including Illinois.
The annual statistics on the state of Americans’ waistline are out, and as has been the case for some time now, the news is not good. According to a report released Tuesday by Trust for America’s Health, adult obesity rates are continuing to rise in the majority of states.
Nationally, 23.2 percent of Americans are obese, according to the study. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese.
Mississippi was again the most overweight state in the nation, with 29.5 percent of its residents obese. It was followed in bulk by its southern neighbors, with Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky making up the top five.
Ranked by state, Wisconsin is right about in the middle, ranked 28th, slightly slimmer than our neighbors in Illinois — No. 23 — and Minnesota — No. 27.
Back in the 1980s, Wisconsin was named the fattest state in the nation. But don’t think that we’ve dropped in the rankings because more of us are wearing size 2 jeans. We’ve actually gotten fatter. Just 19.4 percent of Wisconsinites were obese back in 2000; now 21.9 percent of us are. Add in those of us who are just overweight, and 59.5 percent of us weigh more than we should.
But other states have gotten fatter faster.
All of this additional bulk is bad for us as individuals and bad too for society as obesity contributes to the rising toll of chronic illnesses like diabetes and heart disease. The states with the highest rates of those diseases tend to match those with the highest obesity rates.
Gary Brown, executive director of Kenosha Area Family and Aging Services Inc., said growing obesity rates are leading to health problems in the elderly that are making it difficult for organizations like his to meet demand for services.
“The sad story is that today we don’t have enough funding and resources for people who need it,” Brown said. “I don’t see that changing in the future, so one answer is to have people take better care of themselves.”
Obesity rates are also higher in poorer populations.
“Low-income populations tend to experience all the health problems we worry about at greater rates,” said Dr. Janet Collins of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Trust for America’s Health is calling for a series of measures by government, business and educational efforts to try to combat the nation’s growing bulk.
“The ‘fad diet’ approach does not work for individuals, and it’s not going to work for our nation’s obesity crisis either,” said Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust. “Government must step up and provide sustainable funding for sound, long-term policies that produce significant results.”
Among the group’s suggestions are funding for research, community planning that encourage sidewalks and bicycle paths, pushing for more physical education and health classes in schools as well as employer programs that offer benefits that keep employees healthy, like subsidized health club memberships or nutrition programs.
Wisconsin and Kenosha County do fare well by some of those measures. The state does require physical education and health classes for its students. Kenosha has been active in promoting urban development plans that encourage walking, and community businesses and government have combined to promote wellness.
Julianna Olson of Daimler-Chrysler, co-director of the Kenosha Community Healthcare Initiative, said the community has been making strides in addressing the problem through programs like the Corporate Cup Challenge, which encourages employees of local companies to participate in fitness and wellness programs. She said the organization is also working with the Kenosha Unified School District on a “Just a Bit Gets Youth Fit” program that has put walking and wellness programs in some schools.
Olson said everything from serving sizes at restaurants to a propensity to drive everywhere is leading to increased obesity. She said part of the solution could be simple.
“Just get up off your (butt), go for a walk and push back from the table once in awhile,” she said.
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