Delaware stayed steady in its rate of obesity, according to a closely watched yearly report.The adult obesity rate in Delaware is 29.7 percent, giving the First State the 28th highest rate, according to The State of Obesity: Better Policies for a Healthier America, a report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
High obesity rates are cited as a key factor in Delaware’s high rate of diabetes and other chronic diseases and contributes to high health care costs in both the private and public sectors.
Delaware and health care entities have launched a number of programs. However, the state has not mandated physical education activity in schools. Delaware also suffers from sprawl that discourages
U.S. adult obesity rates decreased in four states (Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio), increased in two (Kansas and Kentucky) and remained stable in the rest, between 2014 and 2015. This marks the first time in the past decade that any states have experienced decreases – aside from a decline in Washington, D.C. in 2010.
Despite these modest gains, obesity still costs the country between $147 billion and $210 billion each year.
In 2015, Louisiana has the highest adult obesity rate at 36.2 percent and Colorado has the lowest at 20.2 percent.
Other highlights from the report:
– 10 of the 12 states with the highest rates of diabetes are in the South-and rates of diabetes increased in three states (Louisiana, Mississippi and Oregon). Delaware’s diabetes rate is 11.5 percent, 10th highest.
– Adult obesity rates for Blacks are 36.6 percent in Delaware, the 23rd highest rate, and at or above 40 percent for Blacks in 14 states.
Adult obesity rates for Latinos are 35.3 percent in Delaware, the 10th highest rate.
– Adult obesity rates for Whites are 29.4 percent in Delaware, the 20th highest rate, and at or above 25 percent for Whites in 39 states.
Other findings from the report include:
- The number of high school students who drink one or more soda a day has dropped by nearly 40 percent since 2007, to around one in five (20.4 percent) in 2015 (note: does not include sport/energy drinks, diet sodas, or water with added sugars). In Delaware, 19.1 percent of high school students reported drinking one can or more of soda per day.
- The number of high school students who report playing video or computer games three or more hours a day has increased more than 88 percent since 2003 (from 22.1 to 41.7 percent). In Delaware, 35.6 percent of high school students reported playing video games and 27.9 percent reported watching three or more hours of TV per day.
- More than 29 million children live in “food deserts,” and more than 15 million U.S. children-including 12.1 percent in Delaware-live in “food-insecure” households – having limited access to adequate food and nutrition due to cost, proximity and/or other reasons.
- The federal government has awarded more than $90 million via 44 Healthy Food Financing Initiative financial assistance awards in 29 states, not including Delaware, since 2011 – helping leverage more than $1 billion and create 2,500 jobs.
- 18 states, not including Delaware, set a minimum amount of time that elementary students must participate in physical education; 14 states, not including Delaware, and Washington, D.C. set a minimum amount for middle schools; and six states, not including Delaware, set a minimum amount for high schools.
The report also includes a set of priority policy recommendations to accelerate progress in addressing obesity.
2015 STATE-BY-STATE ADULT OBESITY RATES
Note: 1 = Highest rate of adult obesity, 51 = lowest rate of adult obesity.
1. Louisiana (36.2); 2. (tie) Alabama (35.6), Mississippi (35.6) and West Virginia (35.6); 5.Kentucky (34.6); 6. Arkansas (34.5); 7. Kansas (34.2); 8. Oklahoma (33.9); 9. Tennessee (33.8); 10. (tie) Missouri (32.4) and Texas (32.4); 12. Iowa (32.1); 13. South Carolina (31.7); 14. Nebraska (31.4); 15. Indiana (31.3); 16. Michigan (31.2); 17. North Dakota (31.0); 18.Illinois (30.8); 19. (tie) Georgia (30.7) and Wisconsin (30.7); 21. South Dakota (30.4); 22. (tie) North Carolina (30.1) and Oregon (30.1); 24. (tie) Maine (30.0) and Pennsylvania (30.0); 26. (tie) Alaska (29.8) and Ohio (29.8); 28. Delaware (29.7); 29. Virginia (29.2); 30.Wyoming (29.0); 31. Maryland (28.9); 32. New Mexico (28.8); 33. Idaho (28.6); 34. Arizona (28.4); 35. Florida (26.8); 36. Nevada (26.7); 37. Washington (26.4); 38. New Hampshire (26.3); 39. Minnesota (26.1); 40. Rhode Island (26.0); 41. New Jersey (25.6); 42.Connecticut (25.3); 43. Vermont (25.1); 44. New York (25.0); 45. Utah (24.5); 46.Massachusetts (24.3); 47. California (24.2); 48. Montana (23.6); 49. Hawaii (22.7); 50.District of Columbia (22.1); 51. Colorado (20.2).
