Massachusetts Has The Lowest Obesity Rate In New England, Report Finds
BOSTON (CBS) – The obesity rate in Massachusetts is lower than the rest of the New England states, according to a new report.
The Robert Wood Foundation and the Trust for America's Health found that the obesity rate in the Bay State is 24.3 percent, which is the sixth-lowest in the country.
Maine has the highest obesity rate in New England at 30 percent. Nationwide, Louisiana has the highest rate of obesity at 36.2 percent, while Colorado has the lowest at 20.2 percent.
Massachusetts' rate stayed steady compared to last year, while four states saw decreases for the first time in a decade. But the overall picture is still bleak – in 1991, no state had an obesity rate over 20 percent, the report states.
In Massachusetts, 13.8 percent of high school students said they drank one can of soda or more per day, and 43.2 percent reported playing video games. Additionally, 19.6 percent of Massachusetts children have limited access to adequate food and nutrition.
The report found that Vermont has an obesity rate of 25.1 percent, followed by Connecticut at 25.3 percent, Rhode Island at 26 percent and New Hampshire at 26.3 percent.
