Adult obesity rates climbed in 28 states during the past year and now exceed 25 percent in more than two-thirds of the states, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010.

The report, by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), includes obesity rates among youths ages 10-17, and the results of a new poll on childhood obesity conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research and American Viewpoint. The poll shows that 80 percent of Americans recognize that childhood obesity is a significant and growing challenge for the country, and a strong majority supports a comprehensive national effort to prevent childhood obesity.

In addition, the report highlights troubling racial and ethnic disparities in adult obesity rates. For example, adult obesity rates for Blacks and Latinos were higher than for Whites in at least 40 states and the District of Columbia.  

The report identifies actions that the federal government and many states are taking to address the epidemic and recommends specific strategies to accelerate momentum. Recommendations include: ensuring that disease-prevention measures in the new health reform law are implemented strategically, expanding the commitment to community-based prevention programs, and sustaining investments in research and evaluation.

NPLAN's resources on joint use agreements (JUAs) were highlighted in the report as an effective policy tool to improve community health by providing additional opportunities for physical activity. PHLP's resources on how to implement a sugar-sweetened beverage tax at the state level were also cited in the report.