DAYTON — Obesity rates in the United States continue to rise, with Ohio ranking among the highest in the nation, according to a recent CDC report.
The CDC reports that over 36% of Ohioans are classified as obese, highlighting the state’s significant public health challenge. A study by WalletHub further ranks Ohio as the 12th worst state for obesity and, alarmingly 6th worst for the percentage of overweight children.
“It’s not easy. You know, there are a lot of pressures pulling us away from doing those things that are healthier choices,” said Dr. Roberto Colon, Chief Medical Officer at Premier Health.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
TRENDING STORIES:
- Ohio police officer dies in crash on his way to work
- Amazon semi found at fault in I-75 crash that killed 34-year-old man
- PHOTOS: First snowfall of the season hits the Miami Valley
Dr. Colon emphasizes the importance of adopting a healthier lifestyle to combat obesity-related health issues.
“A healthier lifestyle can also reverse a lot of the other complications, like the heart disease that may go with it, the elevated cholesterol, the inflammation that the body experiences with diabetes increases the chances for all of those diseases, but also for cancer,” he explained.
Despite the barriers posed by genetics, lifestyle, and socio-economic factors, Dr. Colon stresses the need for education and awareness.
“It’s tremendously important that we’re educating parents, that we’re educating communities, and that we’re getting that information to kids as early as possible, about making healthy choices, about staying active, about being able to alter those factors that we can to keep them healthy,” he said.
Dr. Colon also advises staying connected with healthcare providers to develop exercise plans and consider medication if necessary, emphasizing that it’s never too late to work towards reversing obesity and its negative health impacts.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
