Obesity rates in Wyoming could rise from 25% now to 57% of the population by 2030. That's according to a study by Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report predicts that most states will see comparable increases.
Chronic Disease Epidemiologist for Wyoming’s Department of Health, Joe Grandpre, says Wyoming doesn't have state-run programs dedicated to obesity prevention, but initiatives like heart and diabetes programs address it.
“There are things that we can do, but it’s really, we can only do so much," Grandpre said. "A lot of this is up to the individual, to take control of what they eat and what they drink, and to try to get more information about how many calories they’re actually eating a day.”
Grandpre says issues like access to physical activities during bad weather and availability of fresh fruits and vegetables could contribute to growing rates of obesity in the state, though rates did level out in 2011 for the first time since 1994.
