The adult obesity rate in California is 24.2 percent, giving it the fifth lowest rate nationwide, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America,” showed that U.S. adult obesity rates decreased in four states (Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio), increased in two (Kansas and Kentucky) and remained stable in the rest, between 2014 and 2015.
This marks the first time in the past decade that any states have experienced decreases – aside from a decline in Washington, D.C. in 2010.
Despite these modest gains, obesity continued to put millions of Americans at increased risk for a range of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and costs the country between $147 billion and $210 billion each year.
In 2015, Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36.2 percent and Colorado has the lowest at 20.2 percent.
While rates remained steady for most states, they are still high across the board. The 13th annual report found that rates of obesity now exceed 35 percent in four states, are at or above 30 percent in 25 states and are above 20 percent in all states. In 1991, no state had a rate above 20 percent.
The analyses are based on the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS).
The State of Obesity also found that:
• Nine of the 11 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South and 22 of the 25 states with the highest rates of obesity are in the South and Midwest.
• Ten of the 12 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South – and rates of diabetes increased in three states (Louisiana, Mississippi and Oregon). California's diabetes rate is 10 percent, 25th highest.
• American Indian/Alaska natives have an adult obesity rate of 42.3 percent.
• Adult obesity rates for blacks are 32.8 percent in California, the ninth lowest rate, and at or above 40 percent for blacks in 14 states.
• Adult obesity rates for Latinos are 31.3 percent in California, the 23rd highest rate.
• Adult obesity rates for whites are 22.2 percent in California, the fourth lowest rate, and at or above 25 percent for Whites in 39 states.
• Nationally, adult obesity rates are at or above 30 percent in 40 states and Washington, D.C. for blacks; 29 states for Latinos; and 16 states for whites.
There is some evidence that the rate of increase has been slowing over the past decade. For instance, in 2005, 49 states experienced an increase; in 2008, 37 states did; in 2010, 28 states did; in 2011, 16 states did; in 2012, only one state did; and in 2014, only two states did. (Note: the methodology for BRFSS changed in 2011).
“Obesity remains one of the most significant epidemics our country has faced, contributing to millions of preventable illnesses and billions of dollars in avoidable health care costs,” said Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO, Trust for America's Health. “These new data suggest that we are making some progress but there's more yet to do. Across the country, we need to fully adopt the high-impact strategies recommended by numerous experts. Improving nutrition and increasing activity in early childhood, making healthy choices easier in people's daily lives and targeting the startling inequities are all key approaches we need to ramp up.”
Some other key findings from the report include:
• The number of high school students who drink one or more soda a day has dropped by nearly 40 percent since 2007, to around one in five (20.4 percent) in 2015 (note: does not include sport/energy drinks, diet sodas, or water with added sugars). In California, 14.2 percent of high school students reported drinking one can or more of soda per day.
• The number of high school students who report playing video or computer games three or more hours a day has increased more than 88 percent since 2003 (from 22.1 to 41.7 percent). In California, 42.1 percent of high school students reported playing video games and 23.1 percent reported watching three or more hours of TV per day.
• More than 29 million children live in “food deserts,” and more than 15 million U.S. children – including 13.5 percent in California – live in “food-insecure” households – having limited access to adequate food and nutrition due to cost, proximity and/or other reasons.
• The federal government has awarded more than $90 million via 44 Healthy Food Financing Initiative financial assistance awards in 29 states, including California, since 2011 – helping leverage more than $1 billion and create 2,500 jobs.
• Eighteen states, including California, and Washington, D.C. set a minimum amount of time that elementary students must participate in physical education; 14 states, including California, and Washington, D.C. set a minimum amount for middle schools; and six states, including California, set a minimum amount for high schools.
The report also includes a set of priority policy recommendations to accelerate progress in addressing obesity, including investing in obesity prevention, focusing on early childhood policies and programs, school-based policies and programs, and community-based policies and programs,
“This year's State of Obesity report is an urgent call to action for government, industry, health care, schools, child care and families around the country to join in the effort to provide a brighter, healthier future for our children. It focuses on important lessons and signs of progress, but those efforts must be significantly scaled to see a bigger turn around,” said Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. “Together, we can build an inclusive Culture of Health and ensure that all children and families live healthy lives.”