Prevalence of obesity in America is among the highest in the world. (Photo : Getty Images/Mario Tama)
The prevalence of obesity in the United States continues to increase despite efforts to promote healthy eating, regular workout and good lifestyle habits, claims the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A recent survey report released by it warns that obesity is higher among women and more young children are now obese than ever.
The report from CDC paints a grim picture of the national population facing health hazards due to increased obesity. The obesity rate is 37.7 percent among adults, which is three percent higher compared to the 2011 survey.
Despite the efforts by both government and voluntary organizations asking citizens to cut down junk food and improve lifestyle, obesity is still on the rise. The trend serves a warning for the women, as they are becoming more prone to obesity. While 34.3 percent men are obese, the figure for women stands at 38.3 percent.
Young children, too, have a dismal record with prevalence of obesity. Now, 17.2 percent children are victims of obesity. They stood at 16.9 percent in 2011 survey.
The report was based on the CDC survey samples collected randomly. About 5,000 men, women and young children of different race and ethnicity were interviewed.
According to a study published in the Journal of American Medicine in 2014, obesity affects about 80 million American adults. While the national economy loses over $150 billion a year due to obesity affecting the workforce, millions suffer from type 2 diabetes, heart attack, stroke and other forms of preventable health complication. Obesity is also found to be causing certain types of cancer.
The survey points out middle-aged people (aged 40 to 59 years) have the highest rate of obesity (40.2 percent). The figures for those above 60 years stand at 37 percent while only 32.3 percent in the 20-39 year age group are obese.
No state in the United States has been able to achieve the national goal of keeping obesity at less than 15 percent. Arkansas leads the state-wise obesity rate at 35.9 percent followed by West Virginia. Colorado is at the bottom with 21 percent.
In the past three decades, childhood obesity has gone up by more than two times, from 7 to18 percent. In the 12-19 age group, the increase is more than four fold. A 2012 survey claimed that one in every three American child and adolescent was overweight or obese.
In layman's term, obesity occurs when one gains excessive weight due to fat accumulation. Genetic, food habits, behavioral and lifestyle factors play a crucial role in promoting obesity. Doctors analyze obesity based on the body mass index (BMI), a comparative analysis of weight for a particular height. The CDC considers anyone scoring more than 30 BMI points as obese.
African Americans lead the obesity survey with 48.1 percent followed by Hispanic and Latinos at 42.5 percent. Asian Americans are at less risk with just around 11.7 percent are reported obese.
