Community Corner

SPEAK OUT: Is Obesity a Concern in Maryland?

Data from the Center for Disease Control shows that Maryland ranks 22nd highest in obesity in the country.

Using 2011 data, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently ranked Maryland as the 22nd most obese state in the nation.

At 28.3 percent, Maryland’s obesity rate is up just over 1 percent from the previous year.

In addition, 2009 data from the CDC showed that Prince George’s County had the third highest obesity rate among adults in the state with 33.8 percent, while Montgomery County had the lowest in the state with 18.1 percent.

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According to the 2009 study, Montgomery County was the only county with an obesity rate below 20 percent. In the 2011 state rankings, no state was below 20 percent.

Colorado ranked the lowest with 20.7 percent of adults considered obese, while Mississippi was highest at 34.9 percent. 

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Nationally, about 35.7 percent of adults are considered obese, meaning they have a body mass index (a number calculated using a person’s height and weight) of 30 or higher. 

A 2008 study from the CDC showed that medical costs associated with obesity totaled about $147 billion.

Do you think obesity is a problem in Maryland? What do you think about the state and counties’ rankings on the CDC? Tell us your thoughts in our poll and in the comments. 


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