By KPR
Kentucky – A report issued Tuesday says Kentucky is one of eight states with an obesity rate of more than 30 percent. The commonwealth also ranks third in childhood obesity, at 21 percent, behind Mississippi and Georgia. The report by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, says Kentucky ranks seventh in adult obesity. Richard Hamburg is the deputy director of the trust.
"We have a problem, the problem is acknowledged, we did a public survey in the report, so 80 percent of the American public now understands the problem, and 50 percent or more want to invest in community-based interventions."
Hamburg says those interventions include making healthier food choices available, less sedentary time for children and accessible recreational facilities. He also says the report includes suggestions for policymakers and others on how to better address the problem.
"We can be talking about providing incentives for bringing supermarkets to lower income neighborhoods; we can devote more money to both renovating and fixing sidewalks and playgrounds."
Mississippi continues its six-year reign as the country's most obese state in the study's yearly rankings. Colorado and Oregon, respectively, have the lowest adult and childhood obesity rates.