A CDC report concludes that obesity rates are increasing throughout the U.S., with especially high rates in Appalachia and the South.
"Is it news that the obesity problem is greater in the South?" asks ACSH's Dr. Elizabeth Whelan. "This has been known for a while, the question is why. There seems to be a socioeconomic variable first of all, but it might have more to do with culture differences. Southern cuisine includes many high-fat, fried foods. Basically, their diets are not very well-balanced. Their food is likely to be higher in fat and calories in general."
"Of course it's an issue of poverty, culture, education, etc.," says ACSH's Dr. Gilbert Ross. "Posting calorie counts on menus won't help, nor will banning trans fats. It's very hard to change an ingrained culture. Although one might ask: if it is an issue of the culture that has existed there for so long, why is it getting worse now, as it is in other parts of country? I suspect that it also has to do with increasing portion sizes and more sedentary lifestyle."
