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Indiana Obesity Rates Continue To Rise

By Jill Sheridan, IPB News | Published on in Health
(National Institutes of Health/Wikimedia Commons)
(National Institutes of Health/Wikimedia Commons)

A new report finds Indiana has the 12th worst obesity rate in the nation and the number Hoosiers who are obese or overweight continues to climb.

New data shows that 1 in 3 Hoosiers are obese, and more than 2 and 3 are overweight.

The report comes from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation. President and CEO Claire Fiddian-Green says researchers found the problem is driven by more than just genetics and behavior.

“They point to changes in the environment, where we live, work and play that has really driven the increasing rates of obesity,” say Fiddian-Green.

She says the data highlights how factors including healthy food access and school-based interventions, influence healthy weight.

“We have to work across sectors in a coordinated way to make improvements to the environment that enable residents to make better choices both about nutrition and about physical activity,” says Fiddian-Green.

The report says obesity costs the state $8.5 billion annually in lost productivity and healthcare.

It also outlines data about the effectiveness of strategies to fight obesity, like screenings and workplace initiatives.