Colorado and The District of Columbia have lower obesity rates than any other U.S. state or territory, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Specifically, more than one in five adults in Colorado (24.9%) and DC (23.5%) are reported to be obese.
The CDC reported that more than one in three adults (35%) across 23 states are considered to be obese.
In 1990, none of the 45 surveyed states had an obesity prevalence equal to or higher than 15%.
OBESITY IS NOT ABOUT APPEARANCE
Alyson Goodman, MD, MPH — pediatrician and CDC senior medical officer for The Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity — said obesity is often a cause for concern because excess fat cells can impact “metabolic health,” which is the ability to regulate organs throughout the body.
“For people who develop excess weight, over time, (their metabolic health) can start to become dysregulated and not work as well,” Goodman said. “That’s when we see people develop conditions like diabetes or hypertension or heart disease or other chronic diseases. But, that’s not true for everybody.”
“What we’re concerned about is not the body size or the way that somebody looks,” she added. “This is about what’s happening underneath.”
Those conditions include type-2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, a lower quality of life, gallbladder disease and osteoarthritis.
There are also some lesser-known affects of obesity, including a heightened risk of developing 13 different cancers, sleep apnea and breathing problems, chronic body pain and mental illnesses.
A 2023 study by the University of Colorado Boulder found that about one in six deaths in the U.S. could be attributed to excess weight or obesity.
Excess weight is initially determined through Body Mass Index (BMI), which Goodman said is common because it establishes a starting point quickly, at no cost.
But, she said BMI has its drawbacks, such as an inability to distinguish between fat, muscle and bone mass. So, two people with the same weight and height will receive the same BMI, even if one person has notably more body fat and less muscle than the other.
“Really, BMI is an entry point to give a sense of, at first pass, what do we think?” Goodman said. “From there, we need to dig into a more complete look at a person’s metabolic risk factors: blood pressure, cholesterol levels or glucose levels.”
According to Goodman, the most reliable way to determine how your weight affects your health is to consult a medical provider.
A young man uses exercise equipment in the cardio room at Crossroads Fitness North on Nov. 6, 2024.
WEIGHING THE WESTERN SLOPE
According to the Mesa County Community Health Needs Assessment, the frequency of obese and overweight youth (14 to 17 years) has decreased over the past two years, from more than 12% in 2020 to 8% in 2023.
For Mesa County adults, however, the Community Health Needs Assessment reported that obesity had risen about 3% between 2020 and 2022. The combined prevalence of obese and overweight adults in Mesa County increased by 9% between 2019 and 2022.
According to the Community Health Needs Assessment, one contributor is that less than 45% of Mesa County high schoolers (49% statewide) complete an hour of physical activity at least five days a week.
“Physical activity, along with a healthy diet, reduces weight gain and lowers the risk of developing many chronic diseases,” the Community Health Needs Assessment said.
A young man uses exercise equipment in the cardio room at Crossroads Fitness North on Nov. 6, 2024.
The Community Health Needs Assessment also reported that about 82% of Mesa County adults participate in physical activity (about 1% less than all Colorado adults), but that participation changes by income level.
Specifically, physical activity was only reported among 73% of adults with a household income less than $50,000; whereas nearly 91% of adults with higher incomes reported physical activity.
The number of Mesa County adults who eat fruits and vegetables once per day — 64% and 83% — is more than double the number of Mesa County high schoolers (31.5% and 36.8%).
The daily consumption of fruits and vegetables was also lower among Mesa County youth than the rest of the state — but by less than 2%.
PREVENTION, TREATMENT
According to Goodman, small, achievable goals and lifestyle changes are the most impactful approaches to weight loss because they reduce the odds of failing and giving up, but they also lead to long-term changes in behavior that make it easier to stay at a healthy weight.
One example Goodman provided is swapping out sodas for flavored or sparkling water.
Still, Goodman said there are several additional contributing factors and weight-loss methods that people should consider.
“Everybody always goes back to nutrition and physical activity and places blame and shame around (those factors),” Goodman said. “(They) don’t necessarily recognize how the toxic stress and environmental difficulties in the communities that we all live in really impact weight.”
Photos courtesy of the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
She added that potential factors behind obesity, outside of physical activity and nutrition, include sleep, stress and coping, genetics, the environment, chemical exposure, one’s gut microbiome and even past antibiotic use.
Similarly, alternative treatment modalities, such as medication and surgery, exist in addition to exercise and diet.
“… It can be very difficult to reduce excess weight with nutrition and physical activity alone, even when you’re doing all the right things because of how dysregulated that system gets,” Goodman said. “Particularly if you have a really high BMI, it is just a complete game changer.”
Readers considering weight loss should consult a health care professional for diagnosis, advice and a treatment plan specific to them.
Read More: What your weight means for your health