As we get ready to chow down on holiday foods over the next couple of weeks, a new study has some grim news. It projects half of Americans will be obese and a quarter will be severely obese in the next decade.
While the prevalence of obesity isn鈥檛 projected to be as high in the Mountain West as in other parts of the country,the suggests that no state will have an obesity rate less than 35% over the next few years.
Study author says state lawmakers can use the data as a tool to predict some future health problems and work on prevention, especially in kids.
鈥淥besity is difficult to treat,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 difficult for people to lose weight and maintain that weight loss over long periods of time. So to really start combatting this epidemic, we need to start thinking about preventative measures.鈥�
Colorado stands out in the study for having the lowest obesity rate in the nation. Still, the rate has increased from about 18% in 1990 to 32% now, and it鈥檚 expected to reach 38% in the next decade.
The study has limitations. It relies on CDC data that鈥檚 partially self-reported and focuses on body mass index. That鈥檚 a helpful measurement to compare height and weight and large obesity trends, but it doesn鈥檛 differentiate between fat and muscle.
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