During the last twenty years there was a very significant increase in obesity and overweight within in the United States. CDC is closely following this growing obesity problem utilizing a technique called Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. In 1985 just few states were actively participating in this Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) program and providing obesity data for analysis. In 1991, four states had obesity rates of 15-19% and no state had obesity prevalence rates at or above 20%.

In 1995, prevalence of obesity in each one of the 50 states was less than 20%. In 2000, twenty eight states had obesity prevalence rates less than 20%.

In 2005, conversely only four states had obesity rates less than 20%, while seventeen states had rates equal to or greater than 25%, with 3 of those states having prevalence rates equal to or greater than 30% (Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia).

The data highlighted in these color maps were obtained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Each year, health departments of states use standard methods to obtain information using a set of monthly telephone interviews with the American adults. Prevalence estimates created for showing on this map might vary slightly from those created for the states by the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System as slightly different slightly different analytic methods are used for this map creation.

Posted by: Evelyn

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