Already one of America’s fattest states, South Carolina got even fatter in 2012 according to data released this week.
A whopping 31.6 percent of Palmetto State adults were obese (not just overweight) last year – up from 30.8 percent in 2011. South Carolina is the seventh-fattest state in America according to the data, which comes from a new report released by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health.
A year ago South Carolina ranked eighth nationally in its percentage of obese adults – meaning the Palmetto State is fatter generally and in relation to its peers.
Gov. Nikki Haley declared a “war on fat” back in February. However she has yet to follow through on her only concrete proposal in that war – an effort to more tightly regulate the dietary choices of those who receive taxpayer-funded food subsidies.
Catherine Templeton, director of the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC), has put forward a specific proposal for regulating food stamp choices – which we support – although it’s not clear whether the Haley administration is backing her effort.
Nationally, the obesity epidemic is out of control.
“Thirteen states now have adult obesity rates above 30 percent, 41 states have rates of at least 25 percent, and every state is above 20 percent,” the report found. “In 1980, no state was above 15 percent; in 1991, no state was above 20 percent; in 2000, no state was above 25 percent; in 2007, only Mississippi was above 30 percent.”
Of course rather than holding people accountable for their inability to control their appetites, our nation’s strategy has consisted of a) trying to classify obesity a “disease,” 2) subsidizing soaring obesity-related health care costs and 3) demanding that taxpayers shell out money for new parks and sidewalks (i.e. encouraging fatties to get more exercise).
How’s all that working out?
Yeah …
17 comments
Mmmm bacon.
Mmmmmmmm doughnuts.
Hey, I lost 60 pounds with bacon, just had to cut out those carbs
Ah, yes. The one diet where one can simultaneously lose weight and clog their arteries at the same time.
McCheetonickers!! :)
*Homer Simpson voice*
“…fifty foot slices of American cheese…”
How about – when they go to get the food stamps they have to go to a gym, use the exercise equipment and they get the tickets at the machine like at Frankie’s Fun park that they redeem for food stamps. Different machines give different amount of tickets and the more they exercise the more tickets they get. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
I actually like this idea.
lol…I vote they have to get on electricity generating exercise cycles so at least we get some productivity out of them for the tickets.
Glad I can counter balance the lard-o-meter by losing 15 pounds in the last month and a half.
Is that Rob?
What the hell do food stamps have to do with obesity? All you country assed mo’ fo’s look fat to me and there ain’t no way in hell y’all are all on food stamps. Quit pickin’ on all these broke assed South Carolinians. If that is what it takes for you to feel better about yourself then you are pathetic.
“All you country assed mo’ fo’s look fat to me and there ain’t no way in hell y’all are all on food stamps”
And yep, I’ve got no problem with people getting and staying fat ON THEIR OWN DIME… f’ing idiot.
Fried Chicken, Pulled Pork, Shrimp in Cheese Grits, Low Country Boil with Sausages – I don’t understand how this is happening.
Some people are now on this pill called Belviq. It is supposed to make you feel full. This is good for people who binge eat at night esp.
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Don’t think I’ve ever seen it, but would love to see stats like this broken out demographically…