A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of Alaska adults who are obese rose from 29.5 percent in 2018 to 30.5 percent in 2019, but still less than the 34.2 percent counted in 2017.
Obesity is of concern because it can raise an individual’s chances of developing weight-related diseases, like Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and more than a dozen types of cancer.
Obesity can also increase adults’ chances of having serious outcomes from the COVID-19 virus, including hospitalization and death. People who have just one of these health problems —obesity, diabetes or high blood pressure, are three times more likely to need hospitalization if they are ill than those without these issues.
Nationwide, obesity can have a larger impact on some racial and ethnic groups who also face increased chances of getting infected by the novel coronavirus, CDC officials said.
Advice on maintaining a healthy weight and lowering the changes of development weight-related diseases and serious outcomes of COVID-19 include regular physical activity, and limiting or eliminating sugary drinks from one’s diet, the CDC said.
