Body Weight
24.4 percent of adults obese in Illinois
By Sue Mueller
Aug 29, 2007 - 6:19:12 PM

In Illinois, 24.4 percent of adults are obese and 15.8 percent of youths age 10 to 17 are overweight, according to a new report by Trust for America's Health (TFAH).

The survey titled F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2007 finds Illinois has the 25th highest rate of obesity in adults and the 14th overweight highest rate in youths.

Nationwide, adult obesity rates rose in 31 states over the past year and exceeded 25 percent in 19 states.   Adults are defined as obese when they have a body mass index over 30.

Mississippi has the highest rate of adult obesity (30.6 percent) in the country for the third year in a row and is the first state where the obesity rate exceeded over 30 percent.

The leanest state is Colorado where the adult obesity rate is lowest, but the state still experienced an increase in the adult obesity rate over the past year from 16.9 to 17.6 percent.

The adult obesity rate in Illinois has remained unchanged since last year, 23.9 percent, according to the 2006 edition of the TFAH report.

Governor Rod Blagojevich said early this year Illinois among six states received the highest grade awarded by the University of Baltimore because of the policies the state had enacted in the categories of nutrition standards at school, vending machine usage, body mass index measured in school, recess and physical education, and obesity programs and education.

Obesity is known to be a risk factor for a number of serious chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and diabetes among others.