Obesity has practically become the norm in this country, and there are plenty of side effects to this reality. Health care is shouldering much of the burden, especially Medicare. Obesity continues to rise- last year, not one single state saw obesity rates drop. In fact, 31 states have an obesity rate over 25 percent. This is particularly startling, particularly when you take into account that just 19 states topped this percentage three years ago. This trend shows no sign of slowing; on the contrary, obesity is spreading at dangerously high levels to children. Around 30 percent of children are currently overweight or obese in 30 states. This is a grim finding, as overweight children have a greater likelihood of growing up to be obese adults, and children that are already obese are unlikely to reach a healthy weight before reaching adulthood. The strain that obesity puts on the economy is getting more attention, as more research is devote to the topic. Obesity is linked to a number of dangerous and costly health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and stroke. While there isn't a big difference in the average lifespan of an obese person versus a leaner person, the obese live lives that are rife with health problems and disease.
Who's at Risk?
While no state saw a drop in obesity rates this year, fewer states than last year had an increased rate. This doesn't do much to soften the blow of discovering that over 30 percent of the United States population is overweight or obese. The states with the highest rate of obesity are Mississippi, West Virginia, Alabama, and Tennessee, in descending order. Only one state, Colorado, has an obesity rate of less than 20 percent, but even this news is jarring when you take in to account the fact that just twenty years ago, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent.
The health risks that accompany obesity are the real cause for alarm, though. As the obesity rate continues to grow, so does the occurrence of type II diabetes. Today, the number of adults with this type of diabetes clocks in at 20 million-double what it was a decade ago. An additional 57 million American adults are currently at risk for developing type II diabetes within the next five to ten years, or pre-diabetic.
Low income has long been identified as a contributing factor to obesity, but as the disease balloons into a full-blown epidemic, obesity affects individuals in all socio-economic strata. Still, the recession that has staggered much of the country seems to be part of the problem. As the cost fuel continues to drive the cost of fresh, whole foods, household incomes remain stagnant or fall. Fast food and unhealthy canned, frozen, and boxed dinners are a cheaper, more convenient alternative.
A Boom in Obesity
The Boomers are reaching retirement age, and bears the unfortunate distinction of being the most overweight set to reach this age. This promises to be a serious problem for Medicare, as obese patients will put a strain on the already underfunded program. What's more, obese individuals in this age group who are not on Medicare may find themselves in need of the program's services as their health problems increase.
