Chicago Tribune: 1 in 4 Illinois adults is obese -- a record

The CDC found that in 2008 Illinois was among 32 states where 25 percent or more of adults were, to put it bluntly, fat. Officially, obesity counts as having a body mass index - a ratio of weight to height - of 30 percent or higher.

To put that in perspective, two decades ago no state counted more than 15 percent of adults as obese. That hurdle was passed in 1991 by four states, including Michigan.

In 1996, three states, including Indiana and Kentucky, passed the 20 percent mark. In 2001, Mississippi became the first state where at least 25 percent of adults were excessively heavy. Four years later, three states - Louisiana, Mississippi and West Virginia - topped 30 percent.

Illinois has never been the fattest state, but residents have been gaining girth along with the rest of the country.

In 1985, as far back as the current CDC report goes, fewer than 10 percent of Illinoisans were obese. Two years later, the figure jumped to 10 to 14 percent. In 1994, it rose again to the 15 to 19 percent range. Five years later, obesity rates in Illinois soared to 20 percent or more. Then, last year, rates climbed again, to the 25 to 29 percent range.

Frankly I'm surprised it isn't higher.


"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.