DENVER—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 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.
“Coloradans are active and healthy (when compared to other states), and we’re not immune to the nationwide rise in obesity and health care costs,” Oys said.
“We have many days of sunshine, great access to hiking trails, walking paths, and a culture that asks, ‘What did you do this weekend?’ instead of, ‘What did you see?'”
To measure obesity rates, Trust for America’s Health compared data from 2003-2005 with 2004-2006. 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 telephone 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.
“We are implementing a comprehensive statewide and community approach to good health that supports individuals throughout the life span and involves all sectors of the community,” Oys said.
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 business 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 the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission to build on Colorado’s lean ranking. The group, chaired by Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien, 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 healthy amenities such as sidewalks and bike paths.
“There a lot of people who work here or move here because they value the outdoors,” Hill said, adding that even with those factors, Colorado saw an increase in those considered obese.
“We’re moving in the wrong direction,” he said. “If this keeps up, in the next few years we’re going to be as fat as Mississippi.”
