Maybe I should Jrun more?
October 24, 2004 4:42 PM Subscribe
In your face Nevada... What's your states percentage of obese adults?
::is happy to be from Vermont::
::hangs head in shame for the state she currently lives in::
posted by kamylyon at 5:02 PM on October 24, 2004
::hangs head in shame for the state she currently lives in::
posted by kamylyon at 5:02 PM on October 24, 2004
Hey, I guess working out the last couple of years paid off!
I'll take credit for Colorado; it's all about me. (And maybe our well-known - dating back to the silver and gold rushes - penchant for get rich and thin schemes, combined with our All-American "all about me" ethos, has contributed to our whippet-thin winner status.)
posted by kozad at 5:07 PM on October 24, 2004
I'll take credit for Colorado; it's all about me. (And maybe our well-known - dating back to the silver and gold rushes - penchant for get rich and thin schemes, combined with our All-American "all about me" ethos, has contributed to our whippet-thin winner status.)
posted by kozad at 5:07 PM on October 24, 2004
Plus maybe we gotta work harder cuz there's not enough oxygen to go around.
posted by kozad at 5:08 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by kozad at 5:08 PM on October 24, 2004
Well, I guess that Massachusetts's #49 status explains why I'm always so confused about the "obesity epidemic" stories I see on the tee-vee.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:20 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:20 PM on October 24, 2004
23.5
Considering how much we need our blubber to survive the winters, Alaska isn't doing too bad.
posted by rhapsodie at 5:20 PM on October 24, 2004
Considering how much we need our blubber to survive the winters, Alaska isn't doing too bad.
posted by rhapsodie at 5:20 PM on October 24, 2004
Florida's only #43? Hmm, must be all the skinny old people we have around here.
posted by Servo5678 at 5:27 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by Servo5678 at 5:27 PM on October 24, 2004
Heh, California is 23.6, and I know why. You may think it's all about L.A., home of fabulously rich and thin celebrities, or San Diego, with its gorgeous beach babes and hunks. Well, there is another half of California, my half, which is Northern California, where all the fatties live! Ever visited Petaluma? The proportion of folk you see out and about are more often heavy than not. Small wonder when you're talking about restaurants that feature sausage, ham and eggs, smothered in country gravy (which is made with, yep, bacon drippings), places that pile your plate so high with fat and carbs that even a small army would get a heart attack!
posted by Lynsey at 5:30 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by Lynsey at 5:30 PM on October 24, 2004
> I'm always so confused about the "obesity epidemic" stories I see on the tee-vee.
For enlightenment, look no farther than your senior senator.
posted by jfuller at 5:45 PM on October 24, 2004
For enlightenment, look no farther than your senior senator.
posted by jfuller at 5:45 PM on October 24, 2004
Utah: 36. Quite possible because outdoor recreation is one of the top reasons to live here, but what with much of the state having to do without the favorite american vices, we have to eat a lot of ice cream or something.
On a more serious note:
Hearne says that the nation's response should be consolidated inside an obesity "command and control center" at the CDC and that the agency take control of national nutrition recommendations known popularly as the Food Guide Pyramid.
The pyramid is issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which Hearne says is responsible for promoting food manufacturers and grocery producers. "The USDA does have a perceived conflict of interest here," she says.
Very true, and apparently there's quite a bit of related pressure. I remember listening to a discussion on mercury levels in fish, and under discussion was the government's desire to issue an alert telling people to limit fish consumption in general because of this, but it was in conflict with a desire not to hurt the fishing/seafood industry, not to mention serious pressure from said industry. I agree that it's important how you break the news -- "Seafood Cause of Heavy Metal Poisoning" would be a significantly worse headline than "CDC Recommends Limit of Three Seafood Servings Per Week." But at some point the best guidelines available for health have to take precedent over any particular industry sector's profits.
posted by weston at 5:49 PM on October 24, 2004
On a more serious note:
Hearne says that the nation's response should be consolidated inside an obesity "command and control center" at the CDC and that the agency take control of national nutrition recommendations known popularly as the Food Guide Pyramid.
The pyramid is issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which Hearne says is responsible for promoting food manufacturers and grocery producers. "The USDA does have a perceived conflict of interest here," she says.
Very true, and apparently there's quite a bit of related pressure. I remember listening to a discussion on mercury levels in fish, and under discussion was the government's desire to issue an alert telling people to limit fish consumption in general because of this, but it was in conflict with a desire not to hurt the fishing/seafood industry, not to mention serious pressure from said industry. I agree that it's important how you break the news -- "Seafood Cause of Heavy Metal Poisoning" would be a significantly worse headline than "CDC Recommends Limit of Three Seafood Servings Per Week." But at some point the best guidelines available for health have to take precedent over any particular industry sector's profits.
posted by weston at 5:49 PM on October 24, 2004
And Hawaii 50, though? Holy Hannah, I wouldn't have thought the homeland of Iz and legendary Polynesian cooking/eating would come in almost last.
posted by weston at 5:51 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by weston at 5:51 PM on October 24, 2004
Starting a fat thread......that's a paddlin'
posted by crunchburger at 6:05 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by crunchburger at 6:05 PM on October 24, 2004
My 'state' is Korea, I guess, since that's where I live. Out of a population of about 48 million, 3% are obese [pdf].
In your face, indeed.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:11 PM on October 24, 2004
In your face, indeed.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 6:11 PM on October 24, 2004
NJ: 20.1
They must have taken this poll after I moved out!
posted by clevershark at 6:44 PM on October 24, 2004
They must have taken this poll after I moved out!
posted by clevershark at 6:44 PM on October 24, 2004
Well, at least I managed to move down the list nine spots...24 more to go before I'm in a state that's under 20%.
posted by somethingotherthan at 7:35 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by somethingotherthan at 7:35 PM on October 24, 2004
Actually, jfuller, Kennedy's lost quite a bit of weight and looks much more fit these days.
But thanks ever so much for dragging politics into this thread. How delightful!
posted by Sidhedevil at 7:47 PM on October 24, 2004
But thanks ever so much for dragging politics into this thread. How delightful!
posted by Sidhedevil at 7:47 PM on October 24, 2004
The world's largest leader is obviously the spherical Ariel Sharon, from all that baby-eating he does. Don't know about the rest of Israel, though.
posted by interrobang at 8:14 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by interrobang at 8:14 PM on October 24, 2004
What's your states percentage of obese adults?
Message drezdn: not everyone on the internet is an American. Please modify your insular biases accordingly. Thanks.
posted by dydecker at 8:29 PM on October 24, 2004
Message drezdn: not everyone on the internet is an American. Please modify your insular biases accordingly. Thanks.
posted by dydecker at 8:29 PM on October 24, 2004
dydecker, so I assume you are just about to post some links to statistics about other countries so us non-USians won't feel left out? Because if not you haven't really contributed anything, have you?
posted by Space Coyote at 9:15 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by Space Coyote at 9:15 PM on October 24, 2004
Because if not you haven't really contributed anything, have you?
Oh the irony!
posted by dydecker at 10:44 PM on October 24, 2004
Oh the irony!
posted by dydecker at 10:44 PM on October 24, 2004
Similar data but better presented at StateHealthFacts.org, which is a great site in general for state-by-state health (and other) demographics.
posted by TimeFactor at 11:16 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by TimeFactor at 11:16 PM on October 24, 2004
I live in Colorado, and I find it hard to believe, but hey something to be proud of!
posted by Eekacat at 11:17 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by Eekacat at 11:17 PM on October 24, 2004
Do any other not-obese people go around hearing all the bad news and wonder when the other shoe is going to drop? I'm not fat, but it's not because I'm particularly fit or because I eat all that well. It's like, any minute now I could balloon up and become part of the epidemic. Until them, I go around feeling lucky and grateful.
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:28 PM on October 24, 2004
posted by croutonsupafreak at 11:28 PM on October 24, 2004
Interesting that the top 15 "fatty states" are in the South and Midwest, while New England and the Mountain states make up the top "skinny states" (with the exception of Florida - but then we have D.C. - not really a state and a small native population, followed by Utah.)
I think you could find some correlation in both the culture and the genetic make-up of the various states. A glance at the top of the list reveals states which I believe correlate very closely to those with a larger percentage of African Americans, while the inverse looks to be true for the bottom of the list. Obesity is more common among African Americans than the general U.S. population. According to that Ohio State study link, there are cultural reasons for this and there are apparently genetic reasons, as well.
Like so many things in our country today, this seems to be a problem that needs to be addressed on a cultural and social causation level - not just looked at as a survey of a symptomantic state population.
posted by sixdifferentways at 1:57 AM on October 25, 2004
I think you could find some correlation in both the culture and the genetic make-up of the various states. A glance at the top of the list reveals states which I believe correlate very closely to those with a larger percentage of African Americans, while the inverse looks to be true for the bottom of the list. Obesity is more common among African Americans than the general U.S. population. According to that Ohio State study link, there are cultural reasons for this and there are apparently genetic reasons, as well.
Like so many things in our country today, this seems to be a problem that needs to be addressed on a cultural and social causation level - not just looked at as a survey of a symptomantic state population.
posted by sixdifferentways at 1:57 AM on October 25, 2004
Since we're on the topic, interesting links pertaining to Canada:
By household income.
Canadian BMI by area.
Canadian BMI by age.
Canadian fat map.
More on BMI.
37.7% for my city, BTW. LOL! Only about 1% away from almost everyone in my town being a lardo!
posted by shepd at 3:34 AM on October 25, 2004
By household income.
Canadian BMI by area.
Canadian BMI by age.
Canadian fat map.
More on BMI.
37.7% for my city, BTW. LOL! Only about 1% away from almost everyone in my town being a lardo!
posted by shepd at 3:34 AM on October 25, 2004
Evidently, obese people prefer Bush. I compared the obesity listing to the latest map on electoral-vote.com. Of the 22 most obese states, only 3 prefer Kerry. Of the remaining 29 (including D.C.), 16 lean toward John.
posted by treywhit at 7:01 PM on October 25, 2004
posted by treywhit at 7:01 PM on October 25, 2004
Hey treywhit, 174 Degrees East did a similar comparison (state-by-state ranking of rates of adulthood obesity cross-referenced with their red or blue (or swing) status)
posted by shoepal at 1:10 PM on October 26, 2004
posted by shoepal at 1:10 PM on October 26, 2004
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New York waaay down the list. Must be all the crack we smoke.
posted by jonmc at 4:54 PM on October 24, 2004