New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, show that adult obesity is increasing in the United States, and obese individuals are at heightened risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19.
The phenomenon remains high in 12 states, according to the 2019 Adult Obesity Prevalence Maps. Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia have an adult obesity prevalence at a rate of 35 percent or above. This is up from nine states in 2018 and six states in 2017.
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Health News
April 17, 2026 15:29 ET The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to raise concerns for policymakers who worry about the impact of the supply shock and high energy prices on the real economy. Producer price data and various survey results on the housing market were the main news from the U.S. this week. In Europe, industrial production data for the euro area gained attention. GDP figures out of China and the policy move by the Singapore central bank were in focus in Asia.