Many of today’s unhealthy foods are brought to you by Big Tobacco
For decades, tobacco companies hooked people on cigarettes by making their products more addictive. Now junk food companies are using the tobacco companies' playbook to hook people on unhealthy and fattening processed foods.

Obesity Among High School Students
The World Health Organization says obesity is a global epidemic that affects not only adults, but also children and adolescents worldwide. In the United States, obesity and overweight prevalence is estimated to be at least 15 percent for all children and adolescents, and higher than 30 percent in some population subgroups. Obesity is now the most serious dietary problem affecting the health of American children.

Adult Obesity in the United States
According to data released September 2015, rates of obesity now exceed 35 percent in three states (Arkansas, West Virginia and Mississippi), 22 states have rates above 30 percent, 45 states are above 25 percent, and every state is above 20 percent. Arkansas has the highest adult obesity rate at 35.9 percent, while Colorado has the lowest at 21.3 percent.

Obesity Rates and Trends
More than a third of adults (34.9 percent) were obese as of 2011 to 2012. More than two-thirds of adults were overweight or obese (68.6 percent). Approximately 17 percent of children and teenagers (ages 2 to 19) were obese from 2011 to 2012, and 31.8 percent were either overweight or obese. According to the CDC, U.S. obesity prevalence in adults reached 41.9% between 2017 and March 2020.

Op-Ed: The medical community is missing a major piece of the obesity puzzle

Adult Obesity Facts from the CDC

America's Obesity Epidemic Hits a New High

Study Finds Child Obesity Has Grown Unabated Since 1999

The Estrogenic Endocrine-Disrupting Chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) and Obesity

How Lab Rats Are Changing Our View of Obesity