HHS HealthBeat (September 13, 2010)

Widespread wideness

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Obesity is literally a spreading problem. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finds that the number of states in which at least 30 percent of the population is obese has increased substantially since 2000. The CDC’s Bettylou Sherry:

"In 2009, nine states had a rate of 30 percent or more; whereas, in 2000, no state had this high a prevalence." (9 seconds)

The report says the highest prevalence was found among non-Hispanic blacks overall, with a rate of 36.8 percent. Regionally, residents of the South and Midwest had the higher rates, about 28 percent.

The study is in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: November 21, 2011