Pennsylvania Obesity Statistics

Pennsylvania obesity statistics

By 2011, Pennsylvania was ranked the 19th most obese state in America with an obesity rate of 28.5%.

Fifteen years ago, it was ranked the 13th most obese state with an overall rate of 16.2% obesity.

• When you combine the rates for people who are in the overweight category with those who are actually obese, there is a total of 64.7% of their population in danger of an increased risk of life-threatening health conditions.

  Their total population is 12,702,379 (U. S. Census 2010), which means over 8 million people with additional risks, or dangerous health problems.

• Racial and ethnic categories show
  39.4% obese rates among Blacks,

  34.5% among Latinos, and

  27.7% among Whites.

• Two serious health problems associated with increased overweight and obesity are high blood pressure and diabetes.

  In this U.S. state, rates of high blood pressure have risen to 28.9% of the population, and diabetes rates are at 9.4%.

Childhood obesity statistics for Pennsylvania

• Approximately 22% of the population is under the age of 18, and as of 2007, 15% of those children and teens, age 10 to 17, were considered obese.

• This means that up to 400,000 young people may be at risk of developing serious medical conditions.

These Pennsylvania obesity statistics are reported in F as in Fat from the Trust for America’s Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, using state and national public health statistical data.

Pennsylvania obesity: county rankings for obese percentage, diabetes, physical inactivity

• According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2008, the county with the highest rate of obesity was Blair County at 33.6%, while Chester was the lowest at 22.1%.

• In addition, the following counties were over 30% obese levels: Cambria, Clarion, Clearfield, Columbia, Dauphin, Fayette, Juniata, Mifflin, Philadelphia, Pike, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Venango, Washington, Wyoming, and York counties.

• Diabetes rates were highest in Fayette County with a rate of 10.7%. The lowest rate of diabetes was in Berks County at 7%.

• Greene County was the least active, and Chester County reports the most active people.

State resources for exercise and programs for improved nutrition

• Pennsylvania is among 29 US states that restrict the sale of competitive foods in schools more than federal requirements, and joins 26 other states with a farm-to-school program.

• It also joins 21 other states requiring BMI or body mass index or other weight measurements for children and teens.

• Outdoor exercise and recreation areas are available in national and state forests, state parks, city parks, school and private recreational facilities.

• Pennsylvania produces its own fresh agricultural products, including meat, poultry, dairy, mushrooms, fruits, and vegetables for a healthy diet.

• Other sources of help to reduce Pennsylvania obesity levels include private physicians, hospital educational support, church support groups, non-profit organizations, community initiatives, public health childhood obesity programs, and community grants from the federal government, in addition to self-education.

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