According to a report released Thursday, Utah’s obesity rate fell by 1.2 percent in 2015. Moreover, New York is one of four regions to see a decline in the adult obesity rate in 2015. It’s the first time any state has witnessed a decrease in the past decade.
The Chair of the Health, Dietetics, and Nutrition Program at SUNY Buffalo State, Carol DeNysschen says that the environmental changes and programs to aid individuals to lead a healthier life seem to be working.
The Trust for America’s Health together with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through The State of Obesity report suggested that adult obesity rate in New York was 25-percent last year. It decreased from an all-time high of 27-percent in 2014.
More restaurant, especially the ones that usually serve fast food, now have healthier choices. It is because we are educating restaurant owners that people are looking for healthier options. It was not always the case, but restaurant owners are now learning that there are people who would prefer better food choices.
Diane Marra who teaches exercise science at SUNY Buffalo State says that all the parks and bike lanes have a significant impact on people who want to stay healthy.
However, she also stated that practicing sports doesn’t have as big of an influence on the overall health if individuals are not eating right. The American society is proved to move less today than people have ever moved in the history of the world. Marra also believes that individuals are not used to this kind of living, and we should start accepting that we are not built for it.
Moreover, healthy choices should be learned in the family and parents should become role models.
The report states that the adult obesity rate in Utah is 24.5 percent, down from 25.7 the year before. Moreover, the obesity rate in children has held steady if not decreased.
These days, grocery shops are improving food presentations to make healthy alternatives more convenient. Moreover, individuals are embracing more and reliable walking routes and workplaces and schools are modernizing wellness strategies and encouraging healthy behaviors among staff, employees, and students.
Obesity continues to be one of the most notable epidemics our country has endured, adding billions of dollars in needless health care costs and millions of preventable diseases. However, the recent data implies that we are improving, but we have further actions to follow.
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