Michigan named among top 20 most overweight and obese states in the U.S.
November’s National Diabetes Awareness Month is a good time to make a change
Be it too much pop and coney dogs or not enough exercise, Michigan was named among the 2022’s Most Overweight and Obese States in America.
The report released by WalletHub.com just in time for November’s National Diabetes Awareness Month shows obesity has become a problem for many Americans.
The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than seven in 10 Americans age 20 and older are either overweight or obese. Rates are lower for children and adolescents but have risen dramatically in the past few decades.
“So prevalent has America’s obesity problem grown that the weightloss and diet control industry is massive, worth at least $72 billion,” said WalletHub’s report. “In addition, obesity costs our health care system $173 billion per year.”
The 20 most overweight and obese states included:
“Recent findings by the Physical Activity Council suggest a need for more aggressive efforts to combat the issue. According to the report, 72.2 million Americans aged 6 and older were completely inactive in 2021,” said the report. “Lack of physical activity is a leading cause of obesity, in addition to genetics, emotional instability and sleeplessness.”
Some states are worse off than others, though.
The final results of the survey were determined by comparing the 50 states and the District of Columbia using 31 key metrics. The data sets ranged from share of obese and overweight population and amount of sugary-beverage consumption among adolescents to obesity-related health care costs.
Among the states with the highest percentage of overweight adults were: West Virginia, Alabama and Kentucky. The states with the lowest percentage of obese adults included: California, Massachusetts and Hawaii.
New York and Ohio had the largest percentage of overweight children followed by South Dakota and West Virginia. Maryland, Utah and Minnesota had the lowest percentage. In terms of obesity rates: Kentucky, Mississippi and Louisiana had the highest percentage while Wyoming, North Dakota and Utah had the lowest percentage.
Many of these states were also ranked among the highest in terms of health conditions related to obesity including: Type 2 Diabetes (Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia), high cholesterol (Virginia, West Virginia and Alabama) and high blood pressure (Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia).
Despite the results Michiganders can overcome obesity with a few lifestyle changes.
Parag Patel, M.D. of Shelby Township and family medicine physician for Corewell Health East (formerly Beaumont Health) stresses the importance of recognizing obesity as a disease to reduce the stigma and inspire prevention and treatment.
Dr. Patel offers these recommendations to those looking to make a change:
• Limit unhealthy foods — refined grains and sweets, red meat, processed meat — and sugary beverages.
• Increase physical activity
• Limit television time, screen time, and other “sit time”
• Improve sleep
• Reduce stress
For more information on obesity and diabetes prevention visit cdc.gov/ diabetes/prevention/resources/personal-successmodules.html