9 Most Interesting Facts about Obesity and Overweight in the United States

American Obesity overview

Overweight and obesity are quite rampant across the world and the United States of America is not aloof of it. If we see the ground report of USA, the obesity cases are increasing alarmingly and the data of these surprise everyone. Obesity in the United States is a big health concern, which is closely associated with many deadly health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, etc.

9 facts about obesity in the United States

1. Two-thirds adults in the United States are obese or overweight

• In a recent survey, it is found that about 36. 5% of adults in USA are having obesity while 32.5 % are overweight.
• More that two-third of the total adult population are either having obesity or overweight.

2. One out of six children are obese

• About 17 percent American children ages 2 to 19 are having obesity.
• However, in the recent years, it is found that the obesity in the preschool children are in the decreasing mode.

3. States with highest obesity rates

• The five southern states viz. West Virginia (37.7 percent), Mississippi (37.3 percent), Alabama (35.7 percent), Arkansas (35.7 percent) and Louisiana (35.5 ) are having the highest obesity rates in the Unites States.

4. States with lowest obesity rates

• Colorado is having the lowest obesity rate (22.3 percent).
• It is followed by Washington, D.C., (22.6 percent) and California (25 percent)

5. Obesity rates in all the states of US

• All the 50 states in the United States of America are having obesity rate more that 20 percent.

6. Obesity health concerns

• The health consequences of obesity include heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and stroke, which give huge burden on the government exchequer.
• These are the diseases, which are the leading to maximum deaths in the United States.

7. Medical cost

• The approximated medical cost for obesity in the United States was $147 billion in 2008.
• Since then, it has increased and cost more to the public as well as the government.

8. Obesity in the ethnic groups

• The different groups in the United States are having different obesity percentage.
• Non-Hispanic Black adults (49.6 percent) has the highest obesity percentage.
• Whereas in case of Hispanic adults (44.8 percent), non-Hispanic White adults (42.2 percent) and non-Hispanic Asian adults (17.4 percent).

9. Obesity Vs Socioeconomic status

• Lower percentage of obesity is observed in more educated people in comparison with low education.
• Among men, the highest obesity percentage is observed in the middle-income group and lower in the lowest and the highest income groups.
• Whereas, in case of women, it is lower in the highest income group and higher in the middle and lowest income groups.

Obesity global statistics as per WHO

• As per WHO report, 39 percent of men and 40 percent of women are overweight across the world.
• As far as obesity is concerned, it is 11 percent men and 15 percent women are having this condition.
• 41 million children under age 5 were obese.
• 340 million children under the age group 5-19 are overweight or obese.

12 countries with highest obesity rate

As per the data collected by WHO in 2016, the following countries are having the highest rate of obesity in the world.

1. Nauru: 61 %
2. Cook Islands: 55.9 %
3. Palau: 55.3 %
4. Marshall Islands: 52.9%
5. Tuvalu: 51.6
6. Niue: 50%
7. Tonga: 48.2%
8. Samoa: 47.3%
9. Kiribati: 46%
10. Micronesia: 45.8%
11. Kuwait: 37.9%
12. USA: 36.2%

10 countries with lowest obesity rate

As per the data collected by WHO in 2016, the following countries are having the lowest rate of obesity in the world.

1. Vietnam: 2.1%
2. Bangladesh: 3.6%
3. Timor-Leste: 3.8%
4. India: 3.9%
5. Cambodia: 3.9%
6. Nepal: 4.1%
7. Japan: 4.3%
8. Ethiopia: 4.5%
9. Republic of Korea: 4.7%
10. Eritrea: 5%

Top obesity health risks statistics

1. Obesity brings dozen of dreadful diseases viz. cancer, stroke, heart disease, urinary cases, etc.
2. Obesity causes more death than underweight.
3. Obesity is more common in the middle ages (40-60 years). About 40% cases are covered in this stage.
4. Obesity is more prevalent in older women in comparison to older men.

The post 9 Most Interesting Facts about Obesity and Overweight in the United States first appeared on Gyanunlimited.