Alarming Prediction for Obesity Rates

Ivanhoe Newswire

(Ivanhoe Newswire) – It may seem like everyone is on a diet, but that's not helping the weight problem in America. A new study predicts 86 percent of adults in the U.S. will be overweight or obese by 2030.

The analysis was done by researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Health. They looked at data collected over the past three decades on national surveys. Study authors say they also predict 96 percent of non-Hispanic black women and 91 percent of Mexican–American men will be obese by 2030.

Researchers predict obesity related health care spending in 2030 will climb to $956.9 billion. However, researchers add this could actually be an underestimation of the true financial impact.

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Study authors warn obesity has become a public health crisis in the U.S. They feel dramatic and effective development and implementation of programs and policies are needed to prevent these future predictions.

SOURCE: Published online in the journal Obesity, July 2008

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