Gallup reports that despite public campaigns aimed at encouraging healthy eating habits and reducing high levels of obesity, it appears that much more work is needed to combat the current health crisis. There were small changes in obesity levels from 2011 to 2012, with obesity increasing by 0.7% from 2011 to 2012. It is estimated that as of 2012, 26.2% of Americans are obese, 36.1% are overweight, and a little more than a third were a normal weight. These results are especially troubling, since obesity rates were expected to decline given that a higher percentage of Americans claimed to exercise frequently and more believed that obesity was a paramount public health issue.
Obesity levels varied by socioeconomic status, race, region, and gender. According to Gallup's study, 20.4% of those with incomes under $36,000 identified as obese. Among those with annual incomes above $90,000, only 21.2% were obese. African Americans continue to have the highest levels of obesity, with 34.9% reporting that they are obese. This is 8% higher than obesity levels among Hispanics, and nearly 10% higher than obesity levels among whites. Obesity levels are also highest in the South, with 28.1% surveyed reporting that they are obese, followed by 27.4% among people in the Midwest, 25% in the East, and 23.2% on the West Coast. Lastly, obesity levels were higher among men, with roughly 27.3% reporting that they are obese compared to 25% of women.
About TeachingwithData.org
TeachingWithData.org is a partnership between the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) and the Social Science Data Analysis Network (SSDAN), both at the University of Michigan. The project is funded by NSF Award 0840642, George Alter (ICPSR), PI and William Frey (SSDAN), co-PI.
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