By FITSNews || We already knew that South Carolina was one of the fattest states in America … now we know why.
According to a report released Tuesday by Businessweek magazine, South Carolina is the eighth laziest state in America … and South Carolinians are America’s biggest couch potatoes.
From the story:
South Carolinians watch more television than all other Americans, according to (Bureau of Labor Statistics) BLS data. A report by the South Carolina Health & Environmental Control Dept. shows about half of adults do not get the recommended amount of physical activity, only one-third have sidewalks in their neighborhood, and only 37.4 percent use walking trails, parks, playgrounds, and sports fields for physical activity.
Yikes.
The data was collected between 2004-08 as part of the American Time Use Survey, a BLS project which tracks how much time Americans aged fifteen years and older spend each day on various activities. In case you were wondering, Louisiana was America’s laziest state.
Here’s the raw data on South Carolina:
Time sleeping: 8 hours, 42 minutes
Time watching TV: 3 hours, 7 minutes
Time relaxing and thinking: 25 minutes
Time socializing: 40 minutes
Time working (averaged over total population ages 15 and older): 3 hours, 26 minutes
Median age: 37.3
Obesity ranking: No. 9 (29.9 percent)
Again, yikes – although in fairness the data includes people of all ages (including teenagers and retirees).
Still, though …
Not only does this data help explain our high obesity ranking, it also helps explain why our health care costs continue to spiral out of control.
WEB EXTRA
America’s Laziest States 2010 (Businessweek)
South Carolina Profile (Businessweek)
By piepton July 28, 2010 at 9:34 am
That’s not so bad. At least we’re working harder than Mississippians. What upsets me about the story is that the picture they used for South Carolina is a bunch of fat Ohioans at Myrtle Beach trying to feed their kids to sharks.
By Brandon July 28, 2010 at 10:26 am
Did this actually surprise anybody?
By DisgustinJustin July 28, 2010 at 12:00 pm
Not to worry… Exercising will be required by law before we know it, and TV’s will be considered detrimental to the environment. We’ll be saved.
By sclawboy July 28, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I was going to respond to this article, but I didn’t have the energy.
By eggaday July 28, 2010 at 1:43 pm
dishonest doctors fraudulently billing doesn’t help either. ask the docs at richland about fraudulent Medicare billing. they do it everyday… and i gots this feeling… it’s about to cease.
By Another Comment July 28, 2010 at 6:11 pm
Once again South Carolin’s state motto is..”Thank God for Mississippi” No reason to fear though, we have a lock on being one of the top 47 states in the union. Why worry.
By Step to the Right July 29, 2010 at 12:55 am
OH My GOD! Those horrible doctors! Imagine how they have ruined this state and our entire country with all that fraudulent billing! And by using such a well-designed government give away like Medicare! It is obvious we need another, more costly, government program – one even bigger with public unions running it – and then all those horrible doctors will not be able to ever commit fraud again! So there!
Maybe Sheheen can put a state model in place and then Obama will make it a national program and then everyone will be saved! Thank GOD or at least thank the DEMOCRATS and don’t forget to blame Bush and Sanford! Pass me a Twinkie and lets watch football!
By Bob Sacamanto July 29, 2010 at 1:27 pm
Hey, but we spend 25 minutes thinking!
By Lauren R July 29, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Maybe there’s a correlation between heat/humidity and laziness, and who says that physical activity has to be outdoors? I can’t lie, I’m lazy, it’s hard enough keeping hydrated while watching tv in this weather.
By factchecker July 8, 2011 at 3:30 am
You can’t judge a state by its obese percentage, its the percent of people in a particular area or state, its lack of education most of the time, however judging statewide is not a great idea, for instance if someone flies into denver or sacrament o and sees thin people he may say gee whiz , I though america had a high rate of obesity.