Oklahoma's Ranked 6th In Obesity Epidemic

NewsOn6.com

UNDATED -- Oklahoma has the sixth highest rate of obese adults in the country, at over 29 percent, according to a report released Wednesday.

F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009, provides state-by-state rankings of adult and childhood obesity in the U.S.

The report focuses on the role the current economic downturn may play in worsening the obesity epidemic.

Some of the concerns expressed include:

• Lower income families have less access/money for healthy food and are more likely to opt for "fast food"
• School food programs cut back taking away another option for children to get proper nutrition
• Little or no access to health care where an obese person might be properly diagnosed and treated
• Increased crime rate may be keeping families from getting out and exercising in their neighborhoods

The full report, released by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Foundation, with state rankings in all categories will be available on TFAH's Web site starting today at http://www.healthyamericans.org and RWJF's Web site at www.rwjf.org. The report was supported by a grant from RWJF.