The Most Obese States in the Nation (and Why)

Here's the latest ... I was stunned to learn that less than 35 years ago, NO state even had a 15% obesity rate .. Many states now have significantly over TWICE that level ..

https://www.icepop.com/fattest-states-ranked/?utm_source=aol &utm_medium=Ya_AOL_IP_US_D_FattestStates_v1_2505&utm_content =newnext&utm_term=aol

The odds are stacked against all of us since the food options we have are heavily geared towards being fat and lethargic. The food industry is a dealer that wants us to buy sugar and carb crack. The wls surgery evens up the odds and makes it a fair game for those of us lucky and brave enough to go through it.

35 years ago, the BMI scale was different. In the late 1990's it was changed so that a whole host of the population became "fat" overnight.

And please correct me, if I am wrong...Insurance played a large part, if not all, of changing the BMI scale...

Fatter people...Fatter insurance premiums

Yes, I believe Metlife was where it started. But, also it was associated with an increase in the prescription of phen-phen - more eligible people to sell to. The research really shows that people have the best health outcomes in the 25-30 BMI range and not where "they" say is ideal. In fact, people who low BMI's have more incidence of heart disease than those who are considered obese.

I like this article in Nutrition Today that summarizes that plus the issues with standard diet culture (crash diets, etc).

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4890841/

yes - Metlife. Their suggested weights are pretty low for a lot of people. I looked horribly gaunt when I weighed 138 lbs (I'm large framed and muscular), but according to their chart, I was above where I should be. Ah...no. Now, with the BMI chart method, I can weigh up to 154 and still be "normal". However, a lot of physicians these days seem to be recommending a 23-27 BMI, esp for their older adult patients (which would be me). Since I'm a hair above 25, my PCP keeps telling me not to worry - that I'm fine - but I'd still like to be back under 154 so I'm "normal". It's a mental thing, really...

btw - I just now finished reading the article (AFTER I posted my above response). Thanks for posting it - very interesting!

according to my "BMI CHart" I am supposed to weight 125 as an ideal weight. NEVER in a million years would i ever want to be that weight. I looked sickly at 140 pounds so I couldn't even imagine weighing less than that. I am comfortable around 155/160 pounds and perfectly happy. I still am looking for plastic surgery so I am guessing I may have a few pounds of skin that will be removed.

I hear ya. I got curious about BMIs again after many years of not looking at the charts. Found out my roommate, who is 6'1" like me and about the same age, but weighs only 199 lbs. (I'm SO jealous of his build, btw ) has a BMI - per the charts - that would technically make him "overweight". He would have to lose 11 pounds to be in the "normal" BMI category. That's just nuts. I also looked up what they consider "desirable weight" for that height, using four popular indices for same. ALL of them are even less than the 188-lb. BMI weight figure, some as low as in the 170s. WTH???