Americans keep tipping the scales

Last update: August 27, 2007 - 10:35 PM

The big news: Loosen the belt buckle another notch: Obesity rates continued to climb in 31 states last year, and no state showed a decline.

Mississippi -- the fattest state for the third year in a row -- became the first state to have more than 30 percent of its residents classified as obese. And 47 states are above 20 percent. Just 15 years ago, no state was above 15 percent, said the Trust for America's Health, a research group that focuses on disease prevention.

The report is "a devastating indictment," said Jim Marks, a senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which sponsored the study. "The nation is in the middle of a public health crisis that is deteriorating rapidly, and we are treating it like an inconvenience."

Lightweights: Colorado continued its reign as the leanest state with an obesity rate projected at 17.6 percent. Minnesotans ranked 28th with 23.7 percent, but led the way when it came to exercise. An estimated 15.4 percent of residents did not engage in any physical exercise -- the lowest rate in the nation.

Childhood obesity: For the first time, the annual report included state-by-state figures on childhood obesity, showing that Washington, D.C., was first with 22.8 percent of its children overweight and Utah was last with 8.5 percent. Minnesota's youth were fairly lean at 10.1 percent, ranking 47th most overweight along with Idaho.

What it means: Officials at the Trust for America's Health want the government to play a larger role in preventing obesity. Obesity costs $117 billion per year in preventable health-care expenditures and "is pushing the health-care system to the breaking point," Marks said. A lack of exercise is a huge factor in obesity, along with poverty. The five poorest states were all in the top 10 when it came to obesity rates.

About the projections: The group compared data from 2003-2005 with 2004-2006. It combines data from three years to improve the accuracy of projections. The data come from a survey of height and weight taken over the telephone. Because the information comes from a personal estimate, some believe it is conservative. Generally, anyone with a body mass index greater than 30 is considered obese. The index is a ratio that takes into account height and weight. The overweight range is 25 to 29.9. Normal is 18.5 to 24.9.

More online: To read the report, go to www.startribune.com/a3245.