(Patriot.Buzz) – A bombshell report has unveiled alarming new data: severe obesity rates in America are skyrocketing particularly among women and threatening to overwhelm the healthcare system.
According to recent government research, while overall obesity rates remain high but stable at around 40%, severe obesity is on the rise.
Nearly 1 in 10 Americans now suffer from severe obesity, with women almost twice as likely to be severely obese.
The obesity epidemic is hitting conservative states particularly hard. West Virginia now has the highest obesity rate in the nation at over 41%. Meanwhile, the liberal stronghold of Washington, D.C., has the lowest rate at less than 24%.
Experts warn that the consequences of this obesity crisis are dire. Emory University global health professor Solveig Cunningham stated, “Seeing increases in severe obesity is even more alarming because that’s the level of obesity that’s most highly associated with some of the highest levels of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and lower quality of life.”
The financial burden of obesity on the healthcare system is staggering. Medical costs related to obesity in the U.S. now reach almost $173 billion each year.
Perhaps most concerning is the impact on children and future generations. Obesity rates have more than doubled in adults and children since the 1970s.
The obesity epidemic threatens to create a generation of Americans who are less healthy, less productive and more dependent on government assistance.
The root cause of this crisis lies in the dramatic changes to the American diet over the past few decades.
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), often promoted by big corporations and enabled by government subsidies, now make up an astounding 57% of energy intake for American adults.
These foods are high in calories, salt, sugar and fat and have replaced the wholesome home-cooked meals that were once a staple of American family life.
“Obesity occurs when energy intake (food) is substantially higher than energy expenditure (in particular physical activity),” according to research published in the National Library of Medicine.
The obesity crisis also hugely affects minority communities: over 54% of Black women and 50% of Hispanic women are obese, compared to 38% of White women.
As we look to the future, the outlook is grim unless drastic action is taken. By 2030, nearly half of U.S. adults are projected to be obese, with obesity rates exceeding 50% in 29 states.
Copyright 2024, Patriot.Buzz
