CDC: Americans’ Obesity Reaches Record High

The obesity epidemic in the U.S. has reached a record high—nearly 40 percent of adults and about 20 percent of adolescents are obese, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control. In total, about 70 percent of Americans are either obese or overweight. “It’s difficult to be optimistic at this point,” said Frank Hu, a doctor at the Harvard School of Public Health. “The trend of obesity has been steadily increasing in both children and adults despite many public health efforts to improve nutrition and physical activity.”