What plateau? A preliminary peek at the latest data from the CDC: in 2011-2012, the overall rate of obesity among US adults was 35%, a number that seemed to be holding steady from 2003-2004. However, for 2013-2014, that overall obesity rate is now 38%.
What are we doing wrong? We’ve finally got obesity recognized as a treatable disease by large powerful organizations including the AMA. There’s been a great effort among health professionals and advocacy groups to increase public awareness of ‘healthy’ eating. By some measures, American were drinking less soda and eating less junk food. Multiple new FDA-approved weight loss drugs have come onto the scene. Even in Hawaii, a ‘healthy’ state compared to many others, I don’t see us escaping the same fate as the rest of the nation.
We know obesity is complex. So our best hope remains intensive behavioral efforts focused on dietary re-education, psychosocial support, and foods that support mobilization of fat stores. Our efforts now are more critical than ever.
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