Obesity rates rise for 28 American states according to the Trust for America, Robert Wood Johnson report, “F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010.”
Here's some of the facts.
- 38 states have adult obesity rates above 25%.
- Not a single state had an obesity rate above 20% in 1991. Currently the LOWEST obesity rate is 19.1% in Colorado.
- The number of states where obesity rates exceed 30% has doubled in the past year
- Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia all have obesity rates above 30%.
- 12 states reported an increase in number of people who do NO physical activity.
- 12% of high school students are obese and 15.8% are overweight.
Meanwhile, KFC's Double Down, Wendy's Baconater, Friendly's Burger "sandwiched" by two grilled cheese sandwiches, and Sonic's foot-long chili-cheese coney is now joined by Hardee's foot-long cheeseburger.
From a business perspective, this is really a short-term "gain," right? Once they've killed off all the customers, maybe they'll have to switch to salads.
I really can't wait for this obscene and repulsive trend of excess to die off like the fat-clogged aorta it is. But it will only stop when people stop buying it. Hey, if you can't stop for your own health, how about the environment?