Oregon Has Lowest Number Of Obese Children While Mississippi Has Highest
There must be something magical in Oregon that prevent the kids from getting obese.
The health officials would definitely be interested in understanding this mystery as all states in the US have failed to meet federal goals for childhood obesity.
According to a new government study, Oregon has the lowest rate of obese kids in the country. The study also revealed big gaps between regions and increasing number of obese children in many states from 2003 to 2007.
The study added that in 2007, more than 16 percent of children in the US, 10 to 17 years were not just hefty, but obese, in 2007. In 2003, it was only 6 percent. Mississippi has the highest number of obese children as one fifth of children in this state are obese.
Oregon has the least rate of obese kids, at just under 10 percent. Besides this, the obesity among children has also decreased in Oregon from 2003 to 2007.
"You've got such wide differences at the geographic level, which means there is potential to further reduce obesity," said lead author Gopal Singh, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.