Fittest States In The Country: Colorado Is Only State With Obesity Rate Under 20 Percent

Colorado was determined to be the fittest state in the nation by an annual report produced by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

The study, titled "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2010", calculated the state's adult obesity rate to be around 19.1 percent, making Colorado the only state to have an obesity rate of under under 20%

The study also concluded that, on average, there are significant disparities based on income and race. Northeastern and Western states were generally found to have a lower incidence of obesity than the rest of the country.

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Comments

[Poorsarah]

09:51 PM on 07/04/2010

If our nation continues to support and encourage unhealthy food choices and unhealthy lifestyles, then we will continue to head in this direction. But, if we, as a nation, make wise decisions to buy organic and free range products; we can force the hand of agribusiness and food manufacturers to follow suit. Throwing garbage down our throats will not yield healthy results; no matter how positive we think...sometimes change is good...but we need to take action to accomplish it.

[befrounis]

02:16 PM on 07/04/2010

Damn Colorado, you are soooooooo good lookin'. I that state!

[befrounis]

02:16 PM on 07/04/2010

As in I love that state :)

[danmackenzie]

02:34 PM on 06/30/2010

Regular bicycling cannot offer the type of workout that can be had on a stationery bike. Outdoors on a bicycle, you cannot build up a head of steam by pedaling as hard as possible and you must be constantly alert because of dangerous motor vehicle traffic - that's especially risky in urban states.

The Scwinn AirDyne has stood the test of time. Design has barely changed in 30 years. You get an intense workout using your legs and arms. No electricity required. In my amateur opinion, it's the best piece of exercise equipment ever built.

[TazoWolf]

02:37 PM on 06/30/2010

I'd beg to differ, especially where I live... Many roads going up local mountains get more bicycle traffic than vehicular traffic, and the bike lanes and paths make it very practical. Moreover, riding outside is far less boring than stationary riding. I mounted to the trainer after my shoulder surgery and when there's been snow on the ground, but once I was able, have been riding outside since.

[Kopie]

03:41 PM on 06/30/2010

I recently had elbow surgery and needed to do the same thing. Broke it and my bike in a crash when I met up with the side of a deer @ 35mph! Helmet did its job. (I now realize this doesn't really help my case for advocating riding outdoors)... Anyway, I set up the trainer out on the patio - a nice change from winter indoor sessions in front of the TV! -- but it was still a trainer! Back out on the road again and it feels great. I hope to never use the trainer again when its dry outside and temps are above 35F. :)

[Kopie]

03:30 PM on 06/30/2010

I tend to agree & disagree with you even though you may be a Schwinn rep ;).

Minute for minute, the trainer bike is the better workout for your heart & legs than riding the roads on a bicycle. There's no coasting. Unfortunately, doing it regularly requires great discipline.

I live in KC and bike for recreation and errands averaging 150-200mi per week. Cycling on the roads almost NEVER feels like exercise because I am going somewhere or seeing something. When I hook the bike up to my trainer it automatically feels like exercise. An hour on the trainer and I'm ready for Chipolte. But I get out on the road solo or with a group and the miles and 5 hours can tick by without really noticing it as exercise. So folks are more inclined to ride more often if they make cycling a lifestyle. Spin class is not a lifestyle - it's one of Dante's layers of Hell I think :)

Ride yer bicycles!

[TazoWolf]

01:50 PM on 06/30/2010

One thing I'm seeing here is a lot of discrimination against people who are obese. A person's weight doesn't alter who they are, although it does contribute to health issues and psychological issues such as depression. The problem is as much a cultural problem as it is a health problem, and unless we find a way to make drastic changes to the culture, the rates of obesity and associated health consequences will continue to rise.

One thing I do hope to do as a physician is to set up programs to help people adjust their lifestyle habits, even try and find local services that may offer discounts to people who participate in those groups. Activity groups that promote outdoor activities, free use of gym equipment, bicycles and safety gear that can be checked out, Yoga groups. I'd encourage local parks to set aside plots where gardening groups could raise kitchen gardens for their local communities. Water aerobics, for those who have difficulty with weight bearing activities. Maybe even a weekly Mediterranean potluck group (as a Mediterranean diet is one of the healthiest). I'd try and find volunteers to lead them. People's participation could be tracked in return for various incentives. It may sound like an expensive endeavor, but I'm willing to bet that the savings in health costs would more than cover it.

[TazoWolf]

01:52 PM on 06/30/2010

Oh yeah, and adopt a trail groups, to help keep local trails well maintained for people's use.

Riding for Renal 2010
A life saved, riding to help save others
Tax-deductible sponsoring: http://donate.kidney.org/goto/Riding for Renal”

[befrounis]

02:20 PM on 07/04/2010

The study isn't about who these people are, it's strictly about weight. Also, why can't we discriminate against it? Most cases of obesity are because it is a choice. We discriminate people who smoke cigarettes and people who make us feel like they are impacting our lives for the worse, why not fat people? If someone wants to smoke, it's their choice. Just like if someone wants to be fat, it's their choice. I know it's a sensitive subject, but really. . . MOST (not all) chose to eat that 4th cheeseburger.
ps. I do not condone smoking or obesity!

[bclintonk]

01:23 PM on 06/30/2010

This would have been more useful if they had adjusted for age, income, and race/ethnicity. Black and Hispanic obesity rates are higher than for whites almost everywhere, and obesity correlates inversely with wealth. Obesity rates also tend to creep up with middle age and down somewhat with advanced age, so these demographics matter. Some states that appear on the surface to be relatively "fit" may not be doing so well once you adjust for these factors, while other states may actually be doing better than appears from the overall averages.

[andyford23]

10:45 AM on 07/04/2010

This still would be problematic because how would you decide what would be "good" states. For instance Colorado and California both have very small african american populations, without looking it up I believe somewhere around 5% they also are states that have a higher percentage of wealthy individuals how would you account or adjust for this in such a way to make it comparable to other states ANOVA wouldn't seem to be effective.

[befrounis]

02:21 PM on 07/04/2010

True not many African Americans here, but lots of fatty Mexicans.

[danmackenzie]

01:01 PM on 06/30/2010

There is no practical value in breaking down this data by state. Zip code or census tract could reveal the geographic areas that have more people with an excess weight / obesity problem.

Would I see a representative sample of Colorado residents tailgating before a Broncos football game?

[TazoWolf]

01:10 PM on 06/30/2010

Judging from how empty the ski slopes were when the Broncos made the Superbowl... it's possible. I don't watch football myself, and that's often the best day to ski because there are far fewer people on the slopes. Ski resorts even offer discounts on Superbowl Sunday to try and encourage more skiers to come, because so few actually do.

[andyford23]

02:38 PM on 07/04/2010

The burden states face due to health related issues of it's citizens is more than reason enough to highlight the importance of this study. Obesity related illnesses burden not only the health care system with preventable illnesses but burdens local and state tax systems as well. You may think it a personal issue but the costs that we all share can be enormous.

[ModerateVoiceofReason]

12:53 PM on 06/30/2010

Colorado has an OBESITY rate of under 20 percent. That is still a significant number. We are such a fat country, that our "healthiest" state still has 1 in 5 being considered obese.
What is the rate of those considered OVERWEIGHT, but still short of obese? I'll bet our healthiest state has a rate hovering near 50 percent.

On another tangent, there are times I think we focus a little too much on weight. Granted, weight is a strong indicator of fitness.
What I have heard is that waist circumference and shoulder to waist ratios are better indicators, especially among those who weight train. The main problem isn't that we are overweight, it's that we are overfat and/or underfit.

[Solsister]

07:06 PM on 06/30/2010

Great point about the difference between being fit, thus perhpas weighing more than the charts say you should, and being fat. I think BMI would be a better number to look at.

[realitybase]

12:28 PM on 06/30/2010

Since when is DC a state?

[cgeorgan]

12:14 PM on 06/30/2010

Who cares where your state stands here...where do *you* stand?

Living in the fittest state in the nation does you nothing if you're 75lbs overweight and staring hypertension, diabetes and heart disease in the face.

Salvation lies within...

[TazoWolf]

12:48 PM on 06/30/2010

Very true, but it's also true that some locales tend to encourage healthier lifestyles. Colorado, for instance, has bicycle trails and bike lanes EVERYWHERE, parks in nearly every neighborhood, Community gardens, and lots of advocacy for outdoor activities. Denver has the B-cycle program, where people can check out bicycles at various stations throughout the city, returning the bicycle to any station they like later one. They also have marked bike routes, with clear signs directing commuting cyclists toward the safest route for them (and maps of all the available routs are available). Fort Collins has a bicycle library where people can check out bikes, and when I rode my bicycle up there last week for an appointment and to visit with friends (85 miles from my house), I found more bike paths than ever before there, and reasonably safe routes for the entire journey. Tons of community places and corporations also have programs for bicycle commuters and even cycling teams, and there are bike racks just about Everywhere.

Riding for Renal 2010
A life saved, riding to help save others
Tax-deductible sponsoring: http://donate.kidney.org/goto/Riding for Renal

[TazoWolf]

12:58 PM on 06/30/2010

Fort Collins Bicycle Library: http://www.fcbikelibrary.org/

Denver B-Cycle: http://denver.bcycle.com/

Bicycle Routes: http://www.bikedenver.org/maps/
http://www.denvergov.org/tabid/378718/Default.aspx

Advocacy
http://bicyclecolo.org/
http://www.communitycycles.org/programs.html

Clubs:
http://www.coloradobicycleclubs.com/

Rides:
http://www.coloradobicyclerides.com/

Laws:
http://bicyclecolo.org/articles/bicycle-safety-bill-2-main-pg988.htm

[TazoWolf]

12:59 PM on 06/30/2010

Also, nearly every neighborhood here has a park, and many have community gardens as well... also encouraging healthy activities.

[andyford23]

02:34 PM on 07/04/2010

Think state budgets and the cost of health care that would and does burden states with a lot of obesity related illnesses running rampant and then you'll understand why it's important to know where your state stands!

[Flokk]

12:12 PM on 06/30/2010

Well folks, if ever you needed a reason to start running or get back in the gym, that's it. The more obese this society becomes, the more valued muscularity and leanness becomes. Don't know about you all, but I'd rather be a premium and a commodity (with a healthy life span) than just another chubby or worse, in a sea of overweight people.

[ModerateVoiceofReason]

01:37 PM on 06/30/2010

Vanity is the reason I started to go to the gym.
I used to be quite the little athlete in HS and then I went to college.
Fast forward 6 years. I am only 5'10". At the time I was 175+ pounds and had a 36 inch waist. My dad, his father, and two of his brothers had recent bouts with high BP and heart disease. Did that wake me up? Nope.

One day I looked in the mirror in the buff and I HATED what I was seeing. Add to that, my 36" waist jeans were getting tight. That brought me to the gym. Fifteen years later, I am 160 pounds, my BMI is in the healthy range. I still go 4 times a week and I run 15 miles per week. I am 40+ years old and I look 30.

Lastly, my new body DEFINATELY gave me new confidence and as you stated, I became a better commodity for the ladies. I evenyually got married 8 years ago and I am still married.

[Flokk]

01:44 PM on 06/30/2010

Awesome. Good for you.

[TazoWolf]

12:06 PM on 06/30/2010

Watch the movie "Supersize Me" It's free on YouTube and Crackle. It's enough to make anyone eat healthier, but also addresses the issue of fast food restaurants pushing "value" while 'feeding' an unhealthy lifestyle.

[TazoWolf]

12:10 PM on 06/30/2010

Hmmm... no longer seems to be on YouTube or Crackle. Here it is on Hulu: http://www.hulu.com/watch/63283/super-size-me

[SweetBabu]

12:20 PM on 06/30/2010

I commented below that Americans' quest for "value" in the foods they eat rather than healthiness is a BIG part of the problem with obesity in this country. Everybody's looking to get the most from their $$$. Unfortunately they don't look at the larger costs in terms of their health. What a pity.

[BLACKCAT66]

12:04 PM on 06/30/2010

I see my state of NJ just squeeked in, I'm surprised, I guess porkroll egg and cheese is on the decline :-)

[nvzephyr]

11:56 AM on 06/30/2010

I spent several months in South America a few years back. Partly because of illness, but mostly because I was eating almost no junk, I lost about 20 pounds while I was there, brininging me to a healthy weight (which, I am happy to say, I am at today). When I flew back to the US, I landed in Houston, and it was startling how people looked. Everyone looked bloated, soft, pale, wobbling. It looked horrible and cartoonish at the same time. It took several days for my eyes to readjust. I'll never forget it.

[roquelaure]

11:48 AM on 06/30/2010

It's bunk to count DC seperately. All the other states are a mixture of urban and rural areas, whereas DC is all-urban. That's going to greatly skew the results since urban areas are wealthier. The report itself claims obesity is linked strongly with income, and urban areas have more money.

You can't rate regions and then rate one city by itself. For the purposes of this study, DC should've been counted with Virginia or excluded altogether in the rankings.

[SweetBabu]

11:49 AM on 06/30/2010

I wonder if they ranked just by major cities where it would come out?

[roquelaure]

05:54 PM on 07/06/2010

Well, Men's Fitness ranks them, it was #18 in 2009:

http://www.mensfitness.com/lifestyle/215

Honestly I have issues with the methodology of even this type of ranking; you'd have to stratify for population, really.

[TazoWolf]

11:51 AM on 06/30/2010

Agreed. DC should be included with Virginia or Maryland... states it borders on, not as its own entity. If it is to be included alone in a list, it should be in a list of cities.

[Canuknotusa]

11:37 AM on 06/30/2010

Since I've been in Texas after coming here from Canada, I don't think I've seen a dozen people who weren't at least 50 lbs overweight.
When you ask a Texan to recommend a good restaurant, you get one that only seems to offer deep-fried food. So when you have so few healthy food choices, you put on weight.
Where are the 'choices' that the US free-market is suppose to provide??

[TazoWolf]

11:41 AM on 06/30/2010

Yeah. I just don't get the love of deep fried food. Whenever I eat it, I feel as though it sits in my gut like a pound of lead. I don't get that from grill foods, and grilled vegetables are TOPS! Portobellos, asparagus, corn on the cob, squash, eggplant, etc... WONDERFUL right off the grill with a dash of olive oil, garlic and herbs.

[SweetBabu]

11:41 AM on 06/30/2010

There are plenty of choices out there, but it's an American "thing," IMHO, to want to get the most "value" out of your $$$ when it comes to food. That's why cheap places with high-fat and overflowing plates get so much attention. Everybody wants to get the most out of their $$$. If you want to have lighter more sustainable fare, you'll pay extra and you'll have to look around for it, but it can be done in any part of the country, I'd bet.