Wisconsin Adults 22nd Most Obese in Country; Youth 28th Most Overweight
"Poor nutrition and physical inactivity are robbing America of our health and productivity."
The fourth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2007 report found that adult obesity rates rose in 31 states in the U.S. over the past year, and adult obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in 19 states. The rate of adult obesity increased in Wisconsin since last year. No state experienced a decrease. Eight-five percent of Americans believe obesity is an epidemic, according to a public opinion survey also featured in the report.
Mississippi topped the list with the highest rate of adult obesity in the country for the third year in a row, and is the first state to reach a rate of over 30 percent (at 30.6 percent). Ten of the 15 states with the highest rates of adult obesity are located in the South. Colorado was the leanest state again this year, however, its adult obesity rate increased over the past year (from 16.9 to 17.6 percent).
The report also finds that rates of overweight children (ages 10 to 17) ranged from a high of 22.8 percent in Washington, D.C. to a low of 8.5 percent in Utah. Eight of the ten states with the highest rates of overweight children were in the South.
Other Key Findings from F as in Fat 2007
- 18.8 percent of adults in Wisconsin report that they do not engage in any physical activity. The national average is 22 percent.
- Wisconsin is not one of 17 states that require their school lunches, breakfasts, and snacks to meet higher nutritional standards than the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires.
- Wisconsin is not one of 22 states that have set nutritional standards for foods sold in vending machines, a la carte, in school stores, or in bake sales in schools, and the state is not one of 26 states that limit when and where these foods may be sold on school property beyond federal requirements.
- Wisconsin is not one of 16 states that screen students' body mass index (BMI) or fitness status and confidentially provide information to parents or guardians.
The full report with complete state rankings in all categories is available on TFAH's Web site at www.healthyamericans.org. The report was supported by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Media Contacts: Laura Segal (202) 223-9870 x 278 or lsegal@tfah.org
