Estimated read time: 1-2 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Utah is the eighth least obese state in the nation, but government surveys show the state's obesity rate has been steadily increasing for years.
One such survey says that in 2007, 22 percent of Utah adults reported being obese. That's compared with 21 percent two years ago and 15 percent a decade ago.
The state's children are also getting fatter. The Utah Department of Health says 10 percent of elementary school children are obese; 12 percent are overweight.
Health experts say activity and more energy-dense foods, like candy, are to blame.
Nationally, about 26 percent of adults were obese in 2007. The South remains the nation's fattest region, with Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee leading the way with more than 30 percent of adults in each state being overweight.
Terri Sory, the chronic disease program manager for the Salt Lake Valley Health Department spoke on KSL Newsradio this afternoon. She talked about why some people gain weight and how they take the pounds off. For tips on losing weight, click on the related link.
To hear her interview, click on the audio link to the right of the story.
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
(The Salt Lake Tribune and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
