Why are Obesity Rates STILL Rising?

Posted on Jul 8th 2011 1:00PM by Sara Gaynes

Tim Sloan, AP/Getty Images

The nation's annual obesity report was released on Thursday with bleak news: In 2010, 12 states had obesity rates above 30 percent, most of them located in the southern U.S. As recently as 2006, only one state was above the 30-percent-mark: Mississippi. Mississippi again came in as the nation's heaviest state, for the seventh year in a row, with Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and West Virginia close behind. And more bad news: no state decreased its obesity rate since the 2009 report, though only 16 states showed increases (down from 28 increases a year ago).

Over the last 15 years, our national waistline has grown tremendously -- in 1995, the heaviest state had an obesity rate of 19.8 percent, which is now the obesity rate of our thinnest state, Colorado. "When you look at it year by year, the changes are incremental," Jeffrey Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, which writes the report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, told The Huffington Post. "When you look at it by a generation you see how we got into this problem."

What do you think is the cause of this growing epidemic? What can we do on a larger level to stop the rates from continuing to rise? Why do you think the biggest increases in obesity are concentrated in the South?

We asked our readers and here's what some of them had to say:

Paulissa K.
We can stop pushing tons of grains at people, stop genetically modifying the foods and adding hormones to everything.

Kelly G.
Making good for you foods cheaper and junk food more expensive.

Laura A.
I think one of the biggest factors is economics. It is so much cheaper to buy non-nutritious empty-carb types of food. You can feed a family for so much cheaper. Not to mention it doesn't go bad as fast as fresh food and takes a lot less time to prepare in most cases.

Christie M.
I think fast food and screen time are the biggest issues!

Joanna S.
Because when you are on a budget you can't afford $1.69/pound fresh veggies and end up cooking quick, cheap and fattening foods. Blame high-priced grocery stores.

Krista S.
Lack of exercise, and the ease and availability of cheap, fattening foods. People are always coming up with excuses NOT to change their ways.

Shelly L.
What we need are healthy portion sizes, less processed foods and more play time that is active. Healthy foods that are affordable for those who are on a stricter budget so they can give kids healthy meals instead of meals that fill the hungry spot, because some people do have to choose between better quality/healthier foods and a roof over-head, but kids still gotta get fed.

Jeanette L.
Stop blaming cost and others and look in the mirror. That is who you blame bad choices made on -- your own reflection.

Sherry M.
Healthier foods are more expensive. I think families with children and the elderly on fixed incomes are at high risks for all kinds of problems.

Aimee R.
Plain and simple: you are what you eat. Most people eat processed, "dead" foods that offer zilch for nutrition. Eat the "non-dead" way and lose weight!

Marcela H.
It's so much cheaper to eat food that's unhealthy. It takes time, money and determination to eat healthy. I see many people eating junk food just to make themselves feel better only to find out they feel worse afterwards.

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