Finally, obesity rates take hike downward

By AMELIA HAVANEC
Capital News Service
LANSING – New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that the high rate of obese adults nationally is finally steadying from an upward climb since the 1990s, and Michigan is no exception. The portion of Michigan adults estimated to be obese in 2014 was 30.7 percent, the lowest it’s been since 2010. Sanilac, Saginaw and Chippewa counties are the most obese, while Ottawa, Washtenaw and Oakland are the least, according to the CDC. “Our most recent Community Health Needs Assessment, compiled earlier this year, identifies obesity as a significant health issue for the area we serve surrounding Ludington,” said Bill Kerans, marketing coordinator of Spectrum Health Medical Group in Ludington. “Two thirds – 67.6 percent – of adults in our service area are considered overweight (33.5 percent) or obese (34.1 percent) based on their BMI.