Adelphi, MD – A recent obesity study ranked the state of Maryland, putting it in the middle of the national rates.
Maryland came in 31st in obesity rates in the U.S., as approximately 29% of Maryland residents were considered obese last year. The study also found that these rates hadn’t greatly deviated from those of the previous year.
Despite Maryland’s middle-of-the-pack ranking, obesity continues to be a significant epidemic in the United States. More than two in every three adults is considered to be overweight or obese, and the obesity rates in only four states dropped this year. The rest had stable obesity rates in the last year.
On average, states in the South had the highest rates of obesity, followed by states in the Midwest. Although Washington, DC experienced an obesity decline in 2010, that trend has not continued, nor has it applied to nearby Maryland.
Not only does obesity put Americans at risk for any number of serious diseases, but their treatments cost over $147 billion every year.
Although there’s some good news in that the obesity rates in a few states dropped — and Maryland’s own rates didn’t increase this year — there’s still a lot of work to be done in order to get a handle on the epidemic in our country. Experts state that there needs to be a heavily increased focus on proper nutrition, encouraging exercise from childhood, and more affordable, healthy choices in order to ensure progress is made.
States regarded as highly active and healthy ranked the best in the study. Colorado, often cited as the most health-conscious state in the U.S., had the lowest rate in the study. In order to get a handle on America’s obesity problem, most experts say that the rest of the U.S. needs to follow their lead.