Americans Are Getting Fatter, and Fatter, and Fatter...

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27 August 2007 -- A new report says obesity rates are continuing to rise across the United States.

The report by the research group, Trust for America's Health, says obesity rates climbed in 31 states last year. No state showed a decline.

The state of Mississippi had the highest adult obesity rate for the third year in a row. The report said Mississippi is the first state to reach a rate of more than 30 percent.

The report also said Washington, DC, had the highest obesity rate (22.8 percent) for overweight children ages 10 to 17.

Anyone with a body mass index, a measurement that takes into account height and weight, greater than 30 is considered obese.

Overweight people face an increased risk for diabetes, heart problems and other chronic diseases.

Officials at the Trust for America's Health are calling on the government to play a larger role in preventing obesity. They suggest policies advocating healthier eating choices, increasing regulation of the restaurant industry and making it easier for Americans to get physical exercise.

Source: VOA News