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Abstract: Recent data indicate that Americans are gaining weight at an alarming rate. In fact, data from the CDC indicate that the U.S. obesity average was 12% in 1990 and had grown to 23% by 2005. In recent years, this problem appears to be more prominent in some southern states than in other states. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors were associated with increased levels of obesity. Do demographic, educational, healthcare, or economic factors correlate with this trend? Using state level data in a fixed effects regression model we examined obesity rates for the period 1990-2003. We also used cross tabulation tables to compare obesity rates to several independent variables. Our analysis revealed that obesity was related to several health, demographic, and economic factors. As a result, we argue that policy makers as well as health officials should take a comprehensive look at obesity as well as other social ills, health care conditions, and related issues prior to creating a plan to improve health in this country.
Key Words: Obesity, Overweight.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States over the past 20 years (http://www.cdc.gov/). Similarly, in 1990, no state had obesity rates higher than 15%. By 2005, only 6 states had an obesity rate less than 20% (http://www.cdc.gov/). Obesity has been directly linked to hypertension, diabetes, cancer, and depression (McTigue, Garrett, & Barry, 2002). Each year, over 300,000 adults in the U.S. will die from obesity related causes. As of 2004, the proportion of obese adults in the U.S. reached 32% of the total population. Among adolescents, obesity has increased to 17.1% of the population between the 1999-2004 periods. This increase in prevalence has made obesity a threat to public health in this country.
The purpose of this paper is to examine obesity trends and determine what factors contribute to the growing rate of obesity in the United States. Although this paper focuses on obesity in America, we are particularly interested in examining why the rate of obesity is increasing at a faster pace in the southern states.
DEFINING OBESITYAND OVERWEIGHT
The CDC describes obesity...