Everyone's Gettin' Fat 'Cept Oregon

(From CNN.com)

According to the advocacy group Trust for America's Health, CDC data suggests that, from the 2001-2003 statistical cycle to the 2002-2004 cycle, the obesity rate increased in every state except for Oregon. My home state, Tennessee, is one of the five fattest states in the nation. 25.6 percent of our population is obese, a 1.3 percent increase over the last statistical cycle. (Yes, I am overweight, but according to this body mass index calculator my BMI is less than 30, so I do not qualify as obese.)

Tennessee is only slightly fatter than the state where I grew up, Indiana (25.2 percent obesity rate). While Tennesseans have more opportunities for outdoor exercise than Hoosiers, the food in the Volunteer State is much better than the food in Indiana, so the small difference makes sense to me.

At any rate, I suppose we Tennesseans need to do something about our weight problem. I'll start thinking about an "Obesity Plan."