DALLAS, July 7, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Heart Association applauds the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) for their extensive research. According to the F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future 2011 report released today, adult obesity rates have increased in 16 states and have not declined in any states over the past year.
In January 2010, the American Heart Association identified maintaining a healthy weight as one of seven key factors (Life's Simple 7) to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans as part of our 2020 goal.
It's astonishing to hear that twenty years ago, not one state had an obesity rate above 15 percent. And today, more than half of our nation's states have obesity rates over 25 percent.
There is no one simple solution to the issue of obesity in our country. In order to reach our goal of improving cardiovascular health, we call on all Americans to recognize the severity of the obesity crisis, the toll it takes on our nation's health and health care system, and the imperative need for collective action among food manufacturers, restaurants, government and consumers to change the direction we are headed.
In addition to the programs, tools and advocacy efforts already in place, the American Heart Association will continue to identify solutions to help Americans reverse obesity rates and improve their overall health.
To view the report, visit http://healthyamericans.org/report/88/. For more information on the programs and services of the AHA, visit www.heart.org.
The American Heart Association logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=9940