Tenn. ranks second highest for obesity

Courtesy of WKRN Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Obesity rates are rising across the country, and Tennessee lands near the top of the list in a new report.

The "F as in Fat" report from Trust for America's Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ranks the state as the second most obese in the nation, tied with Alabama.

The report shows that 31.6 percent of adults, more men than women, in Tennessee are obese.

The state is one of eight showing rates more than 30 percent in the annual report this year.

Tennessee also has the sixth highest childhood obesity rate, at 20.6 percent.

Minority groups were also ranked state by state. Tennessee had the highest rates of obesity in the country for Latinos, while the state ranked sixth among blacks.

Poverty and lack of access to health foods and safe neighborhoods were listed as top reasons for the high rates.

State health commissioner Susan Cooper says she's disappointed by not surprised and that change will not happen overnight.

A public health survey found parents' awareness of obesity is rising too, but that knowledge has not translated into results.

With 84 percent of parents believing their children are at a healthy weight, nearly a third of teens are considered overweight.

Mississippi has had the highest rate of obesity for the past six years.

Read more about the "F as in Fat" report at HealthyAmericans.org.