50%+ Of Ohio, Kentucky Adults Will Be Obese By 2018 At Current Rates Of Increase

[hatrack]

f America doesn't get its weight problem under control, more than half the adults in Ohio, Kentucky and three other states will be obese by 2018, according to a report released today. The report, written by Kenneth Thorpe, a researcher at Emory University in Atlanta, projects that by 2018, 51.2 percent of Kentucky adults and 50.9 percent of Ohio adults will be obese by then if the current rate continues.

In 2008, the percentage of obese adults in Kentucky and Ohio was 34.8 percent and 33.9 percent, respectively. Nationally, 31.3 percent of adults were obese in 2008; Thorpe projects that will increase to 42.8 percent by 2018.

"Oh, lord," was University of Cincinnati obesity researcher Randy Seeley's reaction to the projections.

Only Colorado, where 23.8 percent of adults are now considered obese, is projected to remain relatively thin, with 29.8 percent of its adults obese by 2018, according to the report's projections. As the pounds pile up, so will the costs. The report projects $344 billion in health-care costs, or 21 percent of all health-care spending, will be directly attributable to obesity-related ailments, such as heart disease, some cancers and type 2 diabetes.

EDIT

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20091117/NEWS01/911170340/1055/NEWS/Obesity%20study%20grim%20for%20%20Ohio%20%20Ky.

[tblue]

1. Of course. When the cheapest, most convenient meals are full of empty calories and fat

like McDonald's $1 Double Cheeseburger....

Sad state of affairs. How do we address this as a nation? So many people are too busy to eat right and exercise.

[Nihil]

3. "So many people are too busy to eat right and exercise"

Some people are genetically "cursed" towards obesity.

Some people are on medication that causes severe weight gain.

Some people may be too busy at times to eat right and exercise.

So many people are too ignorant and lazy to eat right and exercise.

Sad state of affairs.

[XemaSab]

2. Well, I'm glad I don't live in Ohio or Kentucky

:D