Severe obesity is a health crisis Americans can't ignore
The U.S. obesity rate remains alarmingly high, at roughly 40%, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The latest numbers, for 2021-2023, are slightly down from those released previously from the CDC's National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2017-2020, which found that some 41% of adults were obese.
In any case, those numbers translate into more than 100 million people who are obese and at risk of chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease or diabetes.
A key finding from the latest report is even more sobering: Severe obesity has been on the rise within the last decade, jumping from 7.7% to 9.7%. Nearly one out of 10 of the roughly 6,000 survey participants reported being severely obese. Women were nearly twice as likely as men to report the condition, the latest CDC survey revealed.
Americans haven't always been this heavy. Only 13% of the population was considered obese in the 1960s. Then, after the obesity epidemic emerged between 1976 and 1980, the situation grew worse as reliance on processed foods increased.
The situation could grow even more dire, if Americans don't take action. About half of the country's adults are projected to be obese — and about a quarter could be severely obese — by 2030, research led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found.
Health officials must keep raising the alarm bells and educate the public about the health problems obesity can lead to, including a greater risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Children, in particular, should be the focus, since preventing obesity can help reverse the trend.
Eating a healthy diet and engaging in exercise can go a long way, but that messaging might need to be repackaged to really take hold. Not only is "fat-shaming" insensitive, it also doesn't work and can even push people to eat more, researchers have said. The food industry can also do its part by creating healthier products, engaging in responsible marketing and doling out smaller portions.
There are no easy solutions, and addressing the issue will take compassion and discipline.
But obesity is a health crisis none of us can afford to ignore.
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