The America’s Health Ranking report has been published for over 20 years as a joint venture by the United Health Foundationthe American Public Health Associationand the Partnership for Prevention. It provides state-specific rankings for all 50 states across several national health benchmarksincluding level of obesity.
Among the states with the most obese populationNorth Carolina ranks 8th – tied with Arkansas and Michigan. South Carolina is number 6.
The average American male has gained 17 pounds since 1988; the average female – 15 pounds. It is estimated that if the current trend continuesin 10 years 43% of American adults will be obese. North Carolina men are above the national averagegaining 18 pounds over the course of 20 yearsbut women are below with a gain of 10.6 pounds over the same timeframe.
Race/Ethnicity is also a factor: 25.9% of non-Hispanic White adults are obese in North Carolinawhile 40% of Non-Hispanic blacks are considered obese. Hispanic adults have a prevalence of 25.3%according to this most recent data.
The health problems that obesity causes will cost the US about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by the year 2018. Currentlyobese Americans cost the country about $147 billionaccording to a report released in July.
“Obesity is going to be a leading driver in rising health-care costs,” says Kenneth Thorpechairman of the department of health policy and management at Emory University in Atlantawho created the special analysis on obesity for the report. Using weight datacensus statistics and medical expenditure informationThorpe found:
An obese person will have an average of $8,315 in medical bills a year in 2018 compared with $5,855 for an adult at a healthy weight – a difference of $2,460.
If the percentage of obese adults doesn’t change but stays at the current rate of 34%then excess weight will cost the nation about $198 billion by 2018.
More than 50% of the population in several states could be obese by 2018including North Carolinawhich is projected to have 42 to 51% of adults significantly over their ideal body weight.
The report also discusses the overall health ranking of each statewhere North Carolina is ranked 37. Challenge to the health of the state include high prevalence of obesitylow immunization coveragehigh infant mortality rateand high premature death rate.
The America’s Health Ranking report has been published for over 20 years as a joint venture by the United Health Foundationthe American Public Health Associationand the Partnership for Prevention. It provides state-specific rankings for all 50 states across several national health benchmarksincluding level of obesity.
Among the states with the most obese populationNorth Carolina ranks 8th – tied with Arkansas and Michigan. South Carolina is number 6.
The average American male has gained 17 pounds since 1988; the average female – 15 pounds. It is estimated that if the current trend continuesin 10 years 43% of American adults will be obese. North Carolina men are above the national averagegaining 18 pounds over the course of 20 yearsbut women are below with a gain of 10.6 pounds over the same timeframe.
Race/Ethnicity is also a factor: 25.9% of non-Hispanic White adults are obese in North Carolinawhile 40% of Non-Hispanic blacks are considered obese. Hispanic adults have a prevalence of 25.3%according to this most recent data.
The health problems that obesity causes will cost the US about $344 billion in medical-related expenses by the year 2018. Currentlyobese Americans cost the country about $147 billionaccording to a report released in July.
“Obesity is going to be a leading driver in rising health-care costs,” says Kenneth Thorpechairman of the department of health policy and management at Emory University in Atlantawho created the special analysis on obesity for the report. Using weight datacensus statistics and medical expenditure informationThorpe found:
The report also discusses the overall health ranking of each statewhere North Carolina is ranked 37. Challenge to the health of the state include high prevalence of obesitylow immunization coveragehigh infant mortality rateand high premature death rate.
Originally posted at Examiner.com