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Colorado Obesity Rate Remained Nation's Lowest Last Year

DENVER (CBS4/AP) - New government data shows Colorado adults have the lowest obesity rate in the country once again.

An advocacy group, the Trust for America's Health, released a report Thursday analyzing data collected by a federal government telephone survey.

Visitors outside the Denver Art Museum
(credit: CBS)

Colorado is the skinniest state, with adult obesity rates just over 20 percent. That rate didn't change from 2014.

The 2015 survey found adult obesity rates fell in Minnesota, Montana, New York and Ohio in 2015. That was the first time in the last 10 years any states have seen obesity rates fall. Only Kansas and Kentucky saw obesity rates rise.

Louisiana was the fattest state, with an obesity rate above 36 percent.

"Obesity remains one of the most significant epidemics our country has faced, contributing to millions of preventable illnesses and billions of dollars in avoidable healthcare costs," said Richard Hamburg, interim president and CEO of TFAH. "These new data suggest that we are making some progress but there's more yet to do.

LINK: stateofobesity.org

"Across the country, we need to fully adopt the high-impact strategies recommended by numerous experts. Improving nutrition and increasing activity in early childhood, making healthy choices easier in people's daily lives and targeting the startling inequities are all key approaches we need to ramp up.

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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