It turns out that as Americans, we're still obese. In fact, more than a third of us are still obese, despite efforts to the contrary. Yet it's not all bad news. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that obesity rates, while remaining the same for adults, have dropped for children.
In fact, the CDC found that there was a 43 percent drop in obesity rates among children ages 2 to 5 during the last decade, according to The Washington Post. In fact, just over 8 percent of children were obese between 2011 and 2012, which is down from nearly 14 percent in 2003 to 2004.
Unfortunately, though, these declining rates were only seen in preschool-age children. Older children and adults still had higher rates. More than a third of Americans are still obese, and obesity is one of the nation's leading health problems. Obesity can cause further complications, such as diabetes, heart problems and others.
"I think it's fair to say that [this study] is probably the best source of data we have on whether the prevalence of obesity is increasing with time," said Robert C. Whitaker, a Temple University expert of childhood obesity, in an interview with FoxNews.
The bright side is that there may be the potential to turn the tide of obesity. Since young children obesity rates have dropped, it's possible that we may just see less obesity in the future. In fact, Michelle Obama recently declared that she was proud of Americans for making the move toward a healthier lifestyle.
"I am thrilled at the progress we've made over the last few years in obesity rates among our youngest Americans," said First Lady Michelle Obama in a news release. "With the participation of kids, parents, and communities in Let's Move! these last four years, healthier habits are beginning to become the new norm."
