S.C. is eighth most obese state in the nation

Image by Flickr user puuikibeach

S.C. is fat. There, we said it. Well, we didn't say it -- an independent study released by The Trust for America's Health actually did.

According to the Trust's 2011 "F as in Fat" report, S.C. comes in 8th in terms of the percentage of a state's population that qualifies as obese.

The state's three-year average for obesity is 31% of the population, which, believe it or not, is actually down a percentage point when compared to the previous three-year period.

Other interesting numbers?

  • 66% of the state's population is considered overweight and obese
  • S.C. ranks 8th for diabetes (low is bad) and
  • 11th for physical inactivity (again, low is bad)

This report is chocked full of interesting numbers and facts, but the one that initially caught my eye is that states with the highest percentage of children breastfeeding exclusivly at six months of age have among the lowest rates of obesity.

That is, of course, states other than S.C. and Alabama.

S.C. and Alabama, the only two Southern states among the ten highest ranked (in this case high is good) for that  breastfeeding statistic, are the only two among those ten with obesity rates among the ten worst. (Alabama is the 2nd most obese state in the nation.)

So, for instance, 23% of six-month-olds in Utah are breastfeeding exclusively -- the highest percentage in the nation. And Utah's obesity rate is among the lowest, coming in at No. 46. And that's how the top ten list goes for that statistic other than S.C. (5th in breastfeeding but 8th in obesity) and Alabama (8th in breastfeeding and 2nd in obesity).

Hope(?)

While we may be ranked number eight, we could soon float up to number ten as nine other states have faster growing waistlines — and that means, of course, that in time we'll be relatively less fat. And all we have to do is not start eating more. 

  • 1. Oklahoma
  • 2. Alabama
  • 3. Tennessee
  • 4. Kansas
  • 5. Mississippi
  • 6. (tie) Georgia and Kentucky
  • 8. (tie) Louisiana and West Virginia
  • 10. South Carolina.

So what's happening between the infant and adolescent stages? And then on to adulthood?

Too much barbecue? Not enough exercise?

Take a look at the report for yourself by downloading it here.

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