The South addresses its girth

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Obesity rates have soared across the nation, but nine of the 10 fattest states are in the South, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s why health experts from 15 states will meet at the University of Alabama at Birmingham beginning Sunday for the three-day Southern Obesity Summit.

The point of the meeting, say summit organizers, is for each state to share its programs, legislation, research and other initiatives designed to fight the epidemic. Some interesting and controversial anti-obesity programs have come out of the South in recent years, including obesity report cards for schoolchildren in Arkansas and a ‘fat tax’ on state workers in Alabama. Each state will send teams to the conference composed of government officials, public health professionals, healthcare providers, community organizations and individuals concerned with obesity.

For information on how obesity rates have changed nationwide over the past decade, and to see where your state stacks up, see this obesity map tool from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

- Shari Roan

Graphic credit: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention