(Bloomberg) -- The number of U.S. states where more than a third of adults are obese has nearly doubled since 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
That was the case for 16 states last year, up from nine states in 2018 and 12 in 2019, the CDC said in a report Wednesday. Texas, Ohio, Iowa and Delaware were new additions to the list since last year, with obesity rates in those states now surpassing 35%, a level the agency defines as high.
The new numbers are likely to spark renewed concern about the effects of the pandemic on obesity. Some studies have found weight gain among adults and children during Covid-19, which research has tied to stress and more sedentary lifestyles, among other factors.
Nearly 43% of American adults were obese in 2018, putting them at higher risk for medical conditions and death.
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