CHARLESTON -
West Virginia has a problem with obesity, according to a new report.
The Trust for America's Health, along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released a report today showing that West Virginia has the third worse obesity rate in the nation, behind Mississippi and Louisiana.
According to the report, West Virginia's obesity rate is 32.4 percent. Mississippi had the worst rate with 34.9 percent, followed by Louisiana with 33.4 percent. Colorado had the lowest obesity rate, with 20.7 percent.
The report shows that 12 states have obesity rates over 30 percent, while 26 out of 30 states with the highest obesity rates are in the south and Midwest.
"Obesity has contributed to a stunning rise in chronic disease rates and health care costs. It is one of the biggest health crises the country has ever faced," said Jeffrey Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health.
"The good news is that we have a growing body of evidence and approaches that we know can help reduce obesity, improve nutrition and increase physical activity based on making healthier choices easier for Americans," he said. "The bad news is we're not investing anywhere near what we need to in order to bend the obesity curve and see the returns in terms of health and savings."
The report is based on data released by today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Read the full report here.
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