Here are 10 things to know about obesity in the United States, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America 2016 from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
1. From 1980 to 2014, childhood obesity rates tripled, but have been relatively stable for the past decade. Obesity rates are still increasing among 12- to 19-year-olds, according to the reports. Rates among obese teens age 12 to 19 grew from 5 percent to 20.5 percent.
2. Obesity rates exceed 15 percent for high school students in 11 states; there wasn’t a state with high school obesity rates lower than 10 percent.
3. No state reported obesity rates exceeding 15 percent in 1985; however, nationally nearly 38 percent of adults are obese in 2014.
4. Women are around twice as likely — 9.9 percent — to be obese than men — 5.5 percent.
5. Black women were twice as likely to experience obesity than white women. Black women reported 16.8 percent obesity, compared with 9.7 percent of white women.
6. Education also makes a difference in obesity rate; around 33 percent of non-high school graduates reported obesity, compared with 21.5 percent of college graduates.
7. Adults who earn less than $15,000 per year reported a 33 percent obesity rate compared with 24.6 percent of adults earning at least $50,000.
8. There have also been issues with military members being too obese or unfit to serve. The military is spending $1.5 billion on healthcare costs and recruiting replacements for members who are unfit to serve.
9. Adult obesity rates are 35 percent or above in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and West Virginia.
10. The 10 states with the lowest obesity rates are:
• Colorado: 20.2 percent
• Washington, DC: 22.1 percent
• Hawaii: 22.7 percent
• Montana: 23.6 percent
• California: 24.3 percent
• Massachusetts: 24.3 percent
• Utah: 24.5 percent
• New York: 25 percent
• Vermont: 25.1 percent
• Connecticut: 25.3 percent