Ohio named 13th-most obese state

Ohio has been ranked one of the biggest states in the country according to a recent report — the 13th most obese state in the country.

The report, “F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America,” is an annual survey by the Trust For America's Health (TFAH) and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).

Last year, the report found Ohio was the 10th most obese state in the country with a 28.6 percent adult obesity rate. This year, Ohio went down in rank but up in obesity with a rank of 13 and an adult obesity rate of 29 percent, according to the report.

In childhood obesity, Ohio is ranked 12 with a rate of 18.5 percent, according to the report.

Some races are more affected by obesity than others. The report found that blacks had obesity rates above 30 percent in 43 states. Latinos had rates above 30 percent in 19 states. But whites only had rates above 30 percent in West Virginia, according to the report.

The report comes a year after the Ohio Department of Health announced the Ohio Obesity Prevention Plan. The plan had three goals when announced March 31, 2009: Improve physical activity options and opportunities, improve nutrition and health food access while limiting access to unhealthy foods and improve the coordination of resources directed to preventing and reducing obesity, according to a news release by the Ohio Department of Health.

But the report by TFAH and RWJF claimed Ohio is lacking in anti-obesity policies in schools. While Ohio does have nutrition standards for school lunches, it does not set standards for á la carte lines, vending machines, school stores or school bake sales. Schools also do not have to have a BMI test or any weight-related assessment tests, according to the report.

The report also said Ohio has no “Complete Streets” legislation, which aim to ensure that all users, specifically bicyclists and joggers, have safe access to a community's roads.

The report did praise some of the actions of the federal government in fighting obesity. The new health care reform law and Community Transformation grants both have the potential to provide a new source of rules and funding to fight obesity and obesity-related diseases, according to the report.

The report also praised the Obama administration for some new initiatives. In particular, the Task Force on Childhood Obesity and First Lady Michelle Obama's “Let's Move” initiative could be effective for fighting obesity, said the report.

But the report does claim more could be done. In the coming years, the federal government will have more opportunities to create obesity- and disease-prevention programs, and it should take such opportunities seriously, according to the report.