Texas obesity ranks 14th in U.S.

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Texas has the 14th highest rate of obese adults according to a new report released Wednesday by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The report, “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009” ranks obesity rates of adults and children categorized by state.

More than 27 percent of Texas adults are obese, which makes Texas the 14th highest in the category.
The study also revealed that the economic status of the U.S. affects obesity rates explaining how food prices, mainly nutritious foods, are expected to rise while poverty rates increase.

Health officials fear the suffering economy will increase obesity for the following reasons:

• Lower income families may opt for fast food rather than healthier options.
• School food programs may cut back on nutritious options.
• Little access to heath care may cause an obese person to be improperly diagnosed.
• Increasing crime rates may hinder families from exercising in their neighborhoods.

Mississippi ranked number one in the report, followed by Alabama and West Virginia. The full report is available at the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Web sites. RWJF supported the report with a grant.