Sarasota Residents Getting Fatter, as Obesity Rates Climb Statewide

By Heather Martino and Linda Hersey

Floridians may want to think twice about squeezing into that Speedo swimsuit or teeny-tiny bikini. 

A third of the residents in the Sunshine State are too fat, and the numbers keep climbing. 

Obesity rates have made steady gains across the Sunshine State in the past decade, reflecting a nationwide trend.

Sarasota County is no exception. While residents have lower obesity rates than the rest of the state – with about a quarter of women too heavy and less than a third of men – the numbers are on the rise here, too.

Here's a closer look:

• Florida – average obesity rate for 2011: 34 percent;
• Sarasota County – average rate: 29 percent.

A public health issue

Obese individuals have a 50-100% increased risk of premature death, and it’s estimated that obesity may be the cause of 300,000 deaths per year according to the US Department of Health and Human Services.

According to the CDC, obesity affects more than one-third of adults, or 35.7 percent of the population in the United States. Obesity is calculated by measuring a person’s height and weight, and deriving at a ratio called the body mass index, or BMI. This number often correlates to an individual’s amount of body fat, and is used to ascertain whether a person is considered underweight, a normal weight, overweight or obese.

Interestingly, Americans claim to be exercising more during the same time period that obesity climbed. “Around the country, you can see huge increases in the percentage of people becoming physically active, which research tells us is certain to have health benefits,” said IHME Director Dr. Christopher Murray in a press release. Murray added that “If communities in the US can replicate this success and tackle the ongoing obesity impact, it will see more substantial health gains.”