Trust for America's Health (TFAH) along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation release their annual report on obesity this Wednesday, July 1st. The report, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America, 2009, provides state-by-state rankings of adult and childhood obesity in the United States. It also reveals how the current economy is affecting obesity rates and how Americans feel about this disturbing trend. Rhode Island has the 4th lowest rate of obese adults in the country, at over 21 percent.  For additional state specific data on Rhode Island's obesity epidemic please refer to the satellite feed or Pathfire.

The report explains how the current economic crisis could exacerbate the obesity epidemic even more, since food prices, particularly for more nutritious foods, are expected to rise while poverty rates are climbing.  At the same time, safety-net programs and services are becoming increasingly overextended as the numbers of unemployed, uninsured and underinsured continue to grow.  In addition, due to the strain of the recession, rates of depression, anxiety, and stress, which are linked to obesity for many individuals, are also going up.

Health Officials Fear Struggling Economy Will Only Make Obesity in US Worse:

Lower income families have less access/money for healthy food and are more likely to opt for "fast food"  School food programs cut back taking away another option for children to get proper nutrition  Little or no access to health care where an obese person might be properly diagnosed and treated  Increased crime rate may be keeping families from getting out and exercising in their neighborhoods
The full report with state rankings in all categories will be available on TFAH's Web site starting July 1 at www.healthyamericans.org and RWJF's Web site at www.rwjf.org. The report was supported by a grant from RWJF.

-From Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation