As Americans, we are
considered to be some of the most overweight individuals in the world.
According to Wallethub, 40
percent of adults that reside in the U.S. are overweight. With our diets being
rich in fats and artificial chemicals, the inflation of our body weight comes
as no surprise. Statistics also show that the cost of obesity-related medical
treatment is $190.2 billion a year. Especially during the COVID-19 pandemic,
people who are presumably already overweight or obese tended to have a harder time
beating the disorder. Obesity has been a threat in our nation both lethally and
financially. When it comes to fighting obesity in our own Louisiana
backyard, we currently remain defeated with Baton Rouge ranking number 3 as the
most overweight city in the U.S.
The methodology used to
determine this startling statistic was examined by comparing 100 of the most
populated U.S. metro areas using key indicators such as: obesity, health consequences,
food, and fitness. Wallethub
evaluated those indicators using a metric system that is graded on a point scale with 100 representing
the "fattest." When it comes to the "fattest" in the country, Louisiana ranks
high on every categorized list. For the highest percentage of obese adults,
Lafayette, Louisiana, ranks number 3. For the highest percentage of physically
inactive adults, Louisiana is on the list twice with Lafayette ranking number 2
and Baton Rouge ranking number 5. Lastly, New Orleans ranks number 4 with
having the highest amount of cholesterol levels.
Combating obesity requires a ready mindset and
a dynamic approach. With our state leading the nation in the highest obesity
rates in the country, we must find common grounds in cultivating solutions to fixing
this problem. Health experts on Wallethub have worked to
gather to provide some answers and advice to solving our nation's leading health
problem.
To find out more about the survey, please visit Wallethub.
