Fatter Than Ever

It seems ironic that the last Memo was titled “Make Every Bite Count” while the CDC was in the process of releasing the latest obesity statistics. This shouldn’t be any newsflash, but as a country we’re fatter than ever. In 2021, 19 states exceeded 35% obesity among the residents; in 2022, it jumped up to 22 states. Three states exceeded 40% of residents were considered obese: Louisiana, Oklahoma, and West Virginia.

Which age group is the fattest? Those between 45–54 years with 39.9% obese. The leanest? Young adults at 20.5%. This link to the maps shows where your state scored; it’s not a pretty picture.

This is a statement by Karen Hacker, the head of the CDC’s Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: “Obesity is a disease caused by many factors, including eating patterns, physical activity levels, sleep routines, genetics, and certain medications.” I can’t get past the word “disease” and I’ll explain why on Saturday.

In the meantime, if you have access to Netflix, I urge you to watch the short series “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.” It has slightly changed my opinion on how to age with a vengeance; I’m going to give you my thoughts on it beginning next week.

What are you prepared to do today?