fastcoexist.com | Original Article | by Zak Stone
It’s hard to remember just how quickly the American obesity epidemic has swallowed up its citizens. In 1995, not a single state had more than 21% of its population above the cutoff for obesity. Sixteen years later in 2011, that same statistic marks the lowest level of obesity in any state: Colorado.
This information is presented in an infographic by Lih Chen, which uses data from the U.S. Census and the Center for Disease Control to show how the percentage of the obese, overweight, and normal weight populations have shifted per state over time.
No matter where you look, the stats are bleak. States that were doing okay, like California, went from 15% to 24% obese in the 16-year period measured. States that already had significant obesity problems, like Alabama (18%) only got worse (32% in 2011).
According to the designer, the infographic was made in repsonse to the American Medical Association’s recent decision to begin classifying obesity as a disease, which could have serious ramifications for the way it’s dealt with by the medical establishment, insurers, and other institutions. Read More...