This Is How Much Obesity Has Increased In Tennessee Since 2010

By Hristina Byrnes, 24/7 WS Nashville

2021-06-24

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. keeps getting worse. The adult obesity rate in the country is currently 42.4%, the highest ever recorded, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Just two decades ago, the share of adults who were considered obese — having a body mass index of 30 or greater — was 30.5%. In 2010, the adult obesity rate was 35.7%. Though obesity rates among adults have increased in every state, how much they increased varies considerably. Tennessee is the state with the 4th lowest increase in adult obesity, at 8.5% over the last decade. In 2010, the adult obesity rate in the state was 30.7%, the 3rd highest rate of all states. In 2021, the adult obesity rate increased to 33.3%, the 14th highest. Diet and exercise have often been cited as key factors in maintaining a healthy weight. But the National Institutes of Health has pointed to lack of physical activity as a widespread misconception about how much it is contributing to obesity. In fact, physical activity levels since 2010 have actually increased in all but 13 states. Most of the states with the largest increase in sedentary lifestyle among adults since 2010 are among the states with the smallest increase in adult obesity. In Tennessee, the change in the number of adults who don’t exercise has decreased by 11.4%, the 4th largest decrease. In 2011, 30.7% of adults reported being physically active on a regular basis, compared to 27.2% in 2021. There is some evidence that, at least partially, bigger portions have been the bigger contributor to the increase in obesity prevalence. Many commonly available foods exceed the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration standard portions. Obesity may increase the risk of certain unhealthy outcomes, including diabetes. As of 2021, 12.5% of Tennessee residents who are 20 and older had diabetes. In 2011, that figure was 10.9%. The increase in the number of adults with diabetes was 14.7%, the 9th smallest increase in the country. To determine the states with the highest increase in adult obesity since 2010, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2010 and 2021 obesity data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program. These are all the states with the largest increase in obesity since 2010.

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This story was originally published by 24/7 Wall St., a news organization that produces real-time business commentary and data-driven reporting for state and local markets across the country.