Americans set alarming record on obesity

Experts call for new strategy in struggle

Nearly four out of 10 U.S. adults were considered obese in 2015-2016.

Obesity rates in the USA have hit a new high, and public health experts renewed calls for an aggressive shift in strategy — one that would change the food environment through initiatives such as soda taxes, rather than just focusing on behavior.

Nearly four out of 10 U.S. adults were considered obese in 2015-2016, a 30% increase from 1999-2000, according to recent research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics.

“The individual choice model for obesity prevention is not working,” said Sara Benjamin Neelon, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“It is a concern to see such a high prevalence of obesity,” said Craig Hales, the study’s lead researcher.

Obesity can be a risk factor for many health conditions, he said.

Rates of obesity among adults have climbed steadily for the past 18 years, from 30.5% in 19992000 to 39.8% in 2015-2016.

The epidemic has taken a toll on young people as well: 18.5% of youths 2 to 19 were considered obese in 2015-2016 compared with 13.9% in 1999-2000.

Some policymakers have proposed higher pricing of unhealthy foods to steer buyers toward healthy choices.

Berkeley, Calif., passed a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages in 2014.

One study found sales of sugarsweetened beverages in the city fell significantly afterward in two large supermarket chains, while sales of untaxed beverages — especially water — increased.

“The soda tax has been effective in some cities in the U.S., but only a few cities have implemented that,” said Frank Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.