Colorado ranks as the leanest state in the nation in a new obesity report, but health officials cautioned that the numbers could be deceptive because a majority of the state’s residents are overweight or obese.
The Trust for America’s Health said Monday that Colorado’s obesity rate was projected at 17.6 percent, an increase of just under a percentage point from the previous survey.
The state’s own figures show an obesity rate last year of 18.2 percent and an overweight rate of 36.7 percent, said Rachel Oys, who coordinates obesity prevention programs for the state health department.
That means less than 50 percent of the state’s residents are in a healthy weight range, she said.
To measure obesity rates, Trust for America’s Health compared data from 2003-05 with 2004-06. It combined data from three years to improve the accuracy of projections. The data came from a survey of height and weight taken over the phone by state health departments.
Generally, anyone with a body-mass index greater than 30 is considered obese. The index is a ratio that takes into account height and weight. The overweight range is 25 to 29.9. Normal is 18.5 to 24.9. People with a large amount of lean muscle mass, such as athletes, can show a large body mass index without having an unhealthy level of fat.
Jim Hill, Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and co-author of “The Step Diet Book,” said governments and businesses are taking note of Colorado’s health ranking.
“Being the leanest state is exactly where you want to be,” Hill said. “The economic development people say this is an advantage. It’s attracting companies who see the ranking as an indication as to what health care costs are going to be.”
Last year, Denver-area mayors created a commission to build on Colorado’s lean ranking. The group seeks to ensure children get at least 30 minutes of exercise in school, every work site has a health and wellness program, and communities are designed with such amenities as sidewalks and bike paths.
Mississippi, with a 30.6 percent obesity rate, topped the list for the third year in a row and became the first state to exceed 30 percent. Ten of the 15 states with the highest rates are in the South.
Obesity rates now exceed 25 percent in 19 states, up from 14 states last year and nine in 2005, the report said. In 1991, no state exceeded 20 percent.
