New CDC Study: More Obesity in U.S. Rural Counties than in Urban Counties

New CDC Study: More Obesity in U.S. Rural Counties than in Urban Counties

CDC Study Shows Adults Living in Rural Counties More Likely to be Obese than Adults Living in Urban Counties

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity (DNPAO) is pleased to share an article by DNPAO authors titled, “Obesity Prevalence Among Adults Living in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Counties—United States, 2016”. The report identifies differences in obesity prevalence by metropolitan status within states and US Census regions.

For example: Obesity prevalence was significantly higher among adults living in nonmetropolitan (rural) counties (34%) than among those living in metropolitan (urban) counties (29%). The greatest differences in obesity prevalence between rural and urban residents were in the South and Northeast regions.  Obesity prevalence was also significantly higher among adults living in rural counties than among those living in urban counties for most sociodemographic subgroups including age, sex, and household income. Findings in this article are consistent with those previously reported using 2005–2008 NHANES data, which documented higher overall obesity prevalence among people living in rural vs. urban counties of the United States, and expand the understanding of these health differences. Learn how CDC is working with states and communities to improve nutrition and physical activity and reduce obesity.

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• THIS JUST IN: @CDCObesity compares adult #obesity prevalence between urban and rural counties in 47 states. Learn more: https://go.usa.gov/xQeAZ #NewData
• The South and Northeast regions had the greatest differences in #obesity prevalence btwn rural and urban adult residents.  Learn more: https://go.usa.gov/xQeAZ #NewData @CDCObesity
• #NewData: Learn whether adult #obesity is higher in rural or urban counties in your state. Find out where: https://go.usa.gov/xQeAZ