Despite Efforts, America Remains Dangerously Overweight

Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention depicts America with an enduring obesity problem. In twelve states more than 30% of the population is obese. No state has less than a 20% obesity rate.

1 minute read

August 15, 2012, 6:00 AM PDT

By Andrew Gorden


Newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) utilized new methodologies, making year-to-year comparisons of obesity rates difficult. Regardless, the data shows America's ongoing obesity problem. Tim Carman, of The Washington Post, reports on the new numbers: "no matter how you slice and dice the numbers, one thing remains clear: The nation is dreadfully overweight, which translates into billions of dollars a year in health-care costs, among other impacts [PDF]."

So, who tops the list? States in the South and Midwest dominate the top 10, with Mississippi and Louisiana leading with over 1/3 of the population obese. Colorado is the fittest state with a 20.7% obesity rate.

Monday, August 13, 2012 in The Washington Post

Lake Powell with much of the water evaporated.

Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River

Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.

October 30, 2026 - Yale Environment 360

A road in north eastern Nebraska with power lines on either side, and grassy fields.

Eastern Nebraska is running out of electricity

Data centers and electrification are straining eastern Nebraska’s grid, throttling economic development.

November 6, 2026 - Grist

People walking in downtown St. Louis, walking past shops.

Move over, LA: St. Louis gears up for Olympics, invests millions in downtown redevelopment

The Missouri city will host the 2028 Olympic soccer group stage and knockout matches.

November 1, 2026 - Smart Cities Dive

An Amtrak train pulls into a station in chicago.

Officials claim feds 'rushed' Amtrak environmental review

Amtrak plans to move their Chicago maintenance facility from an industrial area to a residential one.

45 minutes ago - Block Club Chicago

A car drives through a puddle in NYC

NYC breaks ground on anti-flooding infrastructure project

New York City's new system will reduce stormwater flows to local sewers by 90%.

November 9 - Smart Cities Dive

Members of the Smoketown CLT gather for a photo

One Kentucky town’s secret to affordable housing

The Smoketown Community Land Trust has already built seven affordable homes for community members.

November 9 - Reasons to Be Cheerful

FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?

After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.

Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold

The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.