A new report on obesity in America says Kansas is now the 14th most obese state in the nation. Missouri ranked just one spot below at 15th.
The annual “F as in Fat” report says 29.9 percent of adults in Kansas are obese and 29.6 percent in Missouri. That’s barely changed from last year.
The report notes that the number of Americans who are extremely obese has grown more than three-fold over the past 30 years. Combine that with the fact that Baby Boomers are aging into obesity-related illnesses, like diabetes, and the nation’s healthcare system and Medicare program are facing what the report calls a “cost crisis.”
The long-term trend may be changing, though. A recent report by the CDC showed a drop in the obesity rate among low-income pre-school children in 18 states—including Kansas and Missouri.
