Recently a girlfriend of mine; "Kelly Z." the Republican friend that drives a Chevy Tahoe, Church on Sunday, Pro-Life, etc. You name the "Bush list" and she checks it off. Well...she started dating this really cool Democrat. The guy even worked on the Gore campaign. I think my prayers finally have been answered. One thing Kelly does not have on her check list is the Republican figure. Standing at 5'9, slim with the curves in the right places - Kelly is far from what you would call "the typical red state lady." Kelly is not on the American gravy train toward obesity like most people in their early thirties today. Kelly exercises, eates right and does not smoke!
"Obesity now exceeds 25 percent in 13 states, which should sound some serious alarm bells," said Dr. Jeff Levi, executive director of the advocacy group. Health officials warn that a high incidence of obesity in a particular state doesn't mean it treats the issue less seriously than others. States have different challenges to contend with when it comes to obesity, said Dr. Janet Collins of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"Populations are not equal in terms of experiencing these health problems," Collins said. "Low-income populations tend to experience all the health problems we worry about at greater rates."
Indeed, the five states with the highest obesity rates - Mississippi, Alabama, West Virginia, Louisiana and Kentucky (all red states)- exhibit much higher rates of poverty than the national norm.
Meanwhile, the five states with the lowest obesity have less poverty. They are Colorado, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont (all blue states). The leanest states shouldn't take a whole lot of comfort in their ranking, though, said Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, a former CDC director.
"This epidemic is a nationwide epidemic. Some some states are higher, some populations have it higher, but the trend has been up in every state, the trend has been up for every ethnic group, the trend has been up for rich and poor," Koplan said.
The group's estimate of obesity rates is based on a three-year average, 2003-2005. The data comes from an annual random sampling of adults via the telephone. The information is designed to help the government measure behavioral risks among adults.
The government equates obesity with a body mass index, or BMI, of at least 30. Someone who is 5-feet-4 would have to weigh 175 pounds to reach that threshold.
The index is calculated by dividing a person's weight in pounds by his height in inches, squared, and multiplying that total by 703. For some people, particularly athletes who exercise a great deal, the BMI index could show them as being obese when in fact they are in excellent physical condition.
Trust for America's Health made scores of recommendations for reducing obesity. For example:
-Employers should offer their workers benefits that help them stay healthy, such as nutrition counseling and subsidized health club memberships.
-The government should mandate routine screenings that measure the fitness of Medicaid beneficiaries, plus subsidize or reimburse them for participating in exercise and fitness programs.
-At the local level, governments should approve zoning and land use laws that give people more chances to walk or bike to the store or to work. Local governments also should set aside more funding for sidewalks.
The group also makes recommendations for individuals. But the recommendations that people eat well and exercise are known to Americans. And clearly, many just
