United States Obesity Epidemic is Hitting a New High

The U.S. obesity epidemic continues to worsen: The latest reports show that 40 percent of U.S. women are obese, and American teenagers are also continuing to put on weight. The two reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that efforts to encourage Americans to lose weight — at least to stop putting on more weight — are having little effect. Overall, 38 percent of U.S. adults are obese and 17 percent of teenagers are as well. People are considered overweight when their BMI (Body Mass Index) hits 25, and they are considered 'obese' when it gets to 30. People who are obese have higher rates of heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. Obesity has decreased a little among the youngest children, the researchers noted, but it's still going up among teens.