Ind. ranks 8th in obesity in US

America — land of the free, home of the fat.

According to a new study of obesity rates, the U.S. still ranks high with extra pounds. There are 12 states where more than 30 percent of the residents are considered obese.

Indiana is tied with South Carolina for eighth place, with obesity rates of 30.8 percent.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention classify people with a body mass index of at least 30 percent as obese.

An analysis by the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation used CDC findings to determine the obesity rates in each state.

TFAH is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting the health of communities and preventing diseases. The RWJF is the nation’s largest philanthropy for health and health care.

Mississippi topped the list with a 34.9 percent obesity rate. Of the top 30 states with the highest obesity rates, 26 were from the midwest and southern regions.

Despite the high obesity rate in the Hoosier state, the Americorps Improving Health Throughout Indiana program has helped reduce obesity in Indiana for the last five years.

Erin Cooperman, Americorps coordinator and visiting research assistant at the IU School of Public Health, said Indiana residents lack the amount of physical exercise for adults and children and the proper nutritious meals necessary for healthy living.

Because the state is dominated by a vehicle driving culture, Cooperman said Indiana residents don’t partake in the same amount of physical exercise that residents of larger cities do.

“When we started Americorps, Indiana was 11th ranked in the nation and that number has increased to 8th,” Cooperman said. “Indiana does have a lower physical activity rate in schools and around the town.”

Colorado had an obesity rate of 20.7 percent, the lowest of any state.

“Colorado has the lowest rank in obesity because it is such an active state,” Cooperman said. “With biking and hiking, there is more activity that Indiana just does not have.”

Cooperman said Americorps educates Hoosiers on proper nutrition and ways to live an active lifestyle.

In 2006, obesity-related medical costs totaled $147 billion a year, accounting for nearly 10 percent of total medical spending, according to a 2011 study in health affairs.

The bulk of this spending is generated by treating obesity-related diseases, such as
diabetes.

“Obesity has contributed to a stunning rise in chronic disease rates and health care costs,” TFAH Executive Director Jeffrey Levi said in a press release. “It is one of the biggest health crises the country has ever faced.”

Because the new analysis is based on recently released data, the studies do not compare with old findings.

With the new measuring rates, any past studies outweigh any previous year’s data, making it impossible to compare current obesity rates to those of the past.

“The good news is that we have a growing body of evidence and approaches that we know can help reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase physical activity based on making healthier choices easier for Americans,” Levi said. “The bad news is we’re not investing anywhere near what we need to in order to bend the obesity curve and see the returns in terms of health and savings.”