Heavy-Hearted
New Report Raises the Red Flag About American Obesity

You may have seen a startling bit of news recently. Late last month, a report in the Trust for America's Health came out with its obesity report about American states, and it isn't pretty. 

The bottom line is that the majority of American adults have weight problems—the report states that 66 percent of Americans are either obese or overweight, and almost half of them (32 percent) are obese. But it's not just the grown-ups who are having weight problems. According to the report, childhood obesity in the U.S. stands at 17 percent (compared to five percent in 1980).

Among the other findings about American adults:

• In the last year, obesity rates increased in 31 states.
  
   

• In the same period, obesity rates decreased in zero states.
  
   

• Obesity rates are at least 16.5% in every state, and exceeded 20% in 43 states and the District of Columbia.
  
   

• The obesity rate is above 25% in 13 states.
  
   

• In 28 states, 60% or more of their adults are obese or overweight.
  
   

• Nine of the 10 states with the highest obesity rates are in the South.
  
   

• Mississippi leads the way with over two-thirds of its adults overweight or obese—with almost 30% of those folks being obese.

But you should be at least a little bit happy about this report. Not because of any of the numbers that you see; they're pretty discouraging. Why, then? Because you recognized that you had a problem with your weight and already took the necessary steps to get on the road to better health. You made the decision that you weren't going to be one of those dire statistics about Americans and their health—and you did something about it, if only by taking an interest in NutriSystem. In short, you didn't need such a report to improve yourself.

But it doesn't necessarily end there. Maybe you're also trying to do your part by spreading the word to others that they can lose weight and be healthier. Perhaps you are so happy with your success that you've actively approached others about NutriSystem, tried to encourage others to exercise, or made changes to your family's diet. Or it could be that people just saw your success, talked to you about it and decided to join. Weight-loss success can be quite inspiring, motivating others to try to better themselves—regardless of whether they see you in a home setting, a social setting or a work setting.

So the numbers that you read about America's overall health may be unsettling. But there's always hope that things will improve.