Moving Full Speed Ahead in the Fight Against Childhood Obesity

Families, schools and communities are dedicating their time and energy to set kids on the right track toward healthier lives – from starting gardens, to selling fruit instead of cookies at bake sales, to advocating for healthier snacks at local public pools – but how much impact do these efforts have on reducing obesity rates? Two new reports show progress is being made, but there is still a long road ahead in battling our country’s epidemic of childhood obesity.

Preschool Kids’ Obesity Rates Decline
In August 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that rates of obesity among preschool children from low-income families decreased in 18 states and one U.S.territory. But 1 in 8 preschoolers nationwide is still obese; these young children are more likely to be obese as teens and adults, and therefore are at greater risk for serious health issues like high blood pressure and diabetes.

Adult Obesity Rates Level-Off After Three Decades of Increases
For the first time in 30 years, adult obesity rates did not increase and instead held steady in every state except Arkansas, according to the F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2013 report. Yet, 13 states still have adult obesity rates over 30 percent and every state has a rate above 20 percent.

More findings from the report:

• States in the South and Midwest have the highest adult obesity rates. Louisiana tops the list with 34.7 percent of its adult population being obese.
• Forty percent of Alabama and Louisiana’s adults ages 45-64 are obese.
• The adult obesity rate for ages 26+ who didn’t graduate high school is 35 percent versus 21.3 percent for college grads in the same age group.