COLUMBUS – An annual report on the state of obesity in America shows that Ohio is ranked 11th nationally for the highest obesity rate and the rate has continued to climb over the past 18 years.
Ohio’s adult obesity rate of 33.8 percent is up from about 20 percent in 2000 and 11 percent in 1990, according to the State of Obesity report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The findings concern observers because of what it says about the state’s – and the nation’s – overall health.
“When obesity rates go up diabetes rates go up. And in Ohio one-in-ten adults has diabetes. Then there’s also hypertension and heart disease that’s often related to obesity. Those are often the number one cause of death,” said John Auerbach of the Trust for America’s Health.
Obesity rates vary from state to state, with a low of about 23 percent in Colorado to a high of 38 percent in West Virginia.
No state showed improvement over the past year.
Advocates say state and federal governments should coordinate the efforts of health departments, schools and transportation officials to combat hunger.
The report also suggests programs that narrow health inequities so that all communities have access to affordable, healthy foods and safe places to exercise.