By Ala obesity rate among highest in the nation
Montgomery, AL – - A health official says Alabama's listing
near the top for the most obsese residents in the nation is no
surprise.
Jefferson County Health Officer Michael Fleenor said Tuesday
there's a long list of health issues related to obesity and every
effort must be made to address the problem.
The list produced by America's Trust for Health and the Robert
Wood Johnson Foundation says Alabama trails only Mississippi and is
tied with Tennessee for obesity, with 31.6 percent of its residents
classified as obese.
Alabama came in third for adult diabetes and high blood pressure
rates and fifth for physical inactivity.
James Marks, senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson
Foundation, says Alabama's rank of 14th for childhood obesity may
be an early sign of encouragement.