Target obesity levels

Obesity rates in the United States continue to rise with the South and states like Louisiana and Mississippi leading the way.

The truly sad part is obesity, unlike so many other ailments, is almost completely controllable by those who struggle with it. A report Tuesday said Mississippi is America’s worst state with Louisiana close behind in fourth place.

The report released by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation said Mississippi’s adult obesity rate is 31.7 percent, followed by West Virginia with 30.6 percent, Alabama with 30.1 percent and Louisiana with 29.5 percent.

The sad part is our state is mere percentage points from having one-third of its population listed as obese.

When contacted by The Daily Iberian, Liz Richardson of Trust for America’s Health, said the obese designation is applied to anybody who scores a 30 or higher on their Body Mass Index (BMI). She said statistics used in Tuesday’s report came from the Centers for Disease Control and are self-reported.

The Department of Health and Human Services said BMI is a measure of body fat based on height and weight that applies to both adult men and women. Scores between 18.5 and 24.9 are normal with the 25 to 29.9 signifying overweight before the 30 marker indicates obesity.

A red flag in Tuesday’s report was that while all 50 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws related to physical education and/or physical activity in schools, only 13 states include enforcement language. Of these states, only four have sanctions or penalties if the laws are not implemented.

Simply put, everyone recognizes obesity is a growing problem facing Americans, especially children, yet little is being done about it.

Four states now have diabetes rates that are more than 10 percent, and all 10 states with the highest rates of diabetes and hypertension are in the South. The report also found a relationship between poverty and obesity levels. Seven of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are also in the top 10 for highest poverty rates.

Too many people look at this issue without the concern it demands. Those who live with obesity suffer more health problems and shorter lifespans. They are also unjustly targeted for ridicule by immature people or unfairly sometimes deemed lazy or uncaring.

In the report, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation President Risa Lavizzo-Mourey said despite widespread acknowledgment that obesity is endangering the health of millions of Americans, the country is still failing to respond clearly or comprehensively.

“We must work together, governments, schools and communities, to improve nutrition and increase physical activity for all ages,” he said. “We must ensure that strong policies are implemented and enforced in every state, not only to help reverse existing obesity rates, but to prevent obesity among our nation’s children — and generations to come.”

The time is now.

STEPHEN HEMELT

CITY EDITOR