By Alan Lytle
Lexington, KY – A newly released report on national obesity rates keeps Kentucky in the top 10 of the fattest states. According to the data compiled by the Trust for America's Health Foundation, only Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Louisiana, have higher rates. The Commonwealth is now one of 12 states where more than 30 percent of the adult population is considered obese. Dr. Andrew Bernard, a trauma surgeon at UK Hospital says it's high time the medical community meet the problem head on:
"We know now that obesity causes more chronic health problems than smoking, more chronic health problems than heavy drinking, more chronic health problems than poverty. So, if we are not confronting obesity as a medical problem, and we are very uncomfortable talking about it, just because of the social awkwardness or stigma about it, I think we are doing our patients a disservice."
In addition to physical inactivity, Kentucky scored high in rates of diabetes, and hypertension; two medical conditions often linked to obesity.