Trends by State 1985–2009

Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. BMI is calculated from a person's weight and height and provides a reasonable indicator of body fatness and weight categories that may lead to health problems. Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 2009, only Colorado and the District of Columbia had a prevalence of obesity less than 20%.

Download the Maps

The prevalence of obesity is depicted in a PowerPoint slide presentation format. (30 slides total, PPT-2.9Mb)

This is also available as a text-only Acrobat file.(PDF-472k)

Thirty-three states had a prevalence equal to or greater than 25%; nine of these states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and West Virginia) had a prevalence of obesity equal to or greater than 30%.

The animated map below shows the United States obesity prevalence from 1985 through 2009.

Percent of Obese (BMI > 30) in U.S. Adults

<previous next> play stop

of Saint Francis of Assisi

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace!
That

where there is hatred, I may bring love.
That

where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness.
That

where there is discord, I may bring harmony.
That

where there is error, I may bring truth.
That

where there is doubt, I may bring faith.
That

where there is despair, I may bring hope.
That

where there are shadows, I may bring light.
That

where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Lord,

grant that I may seek rather to comfort, than to be comforted.
To

understand, than to be understood.
To

love, than to be loved.
For

it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
It

is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
It

is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life.
—Saint

Francis of Assisi—

Most people are their own worst critic, unfortunately. We have an inner dialogue with ourselves that is continually judging, criticizing, comparing, and putting down anything that you do. Sometimes we are aware of this but mostly the dialogue is running on autopilot. Often it's the only voice we hear with us so we think it's perfectly normal. Between when we are born up to the age of 6 or 7, we are a totally blank slate and are like a recording machine, absorbing what we hear and see from our environment. After that age, we start to have our own opinions and begin our own conscious thinking...but the foundation of how we react to situations has already been set. This becomes our belief system or programming within our subconscious thinking. The environment we grow up in is crucial to our future success--or lack of success. The good news is that we are discovering ways that we can reprogram our brains and there are many experts now teaching about this and also how to bypass the consciousness to change beliefs systems that are deeply rooted in the subconscious.

I mention all of this because we need to understand that we all have our own unique talents that we are meant to work with, and because we are so often our worst internal critics, it can be hard to identify these unique talents. When you start to identify your talents, be aware of the inner critic and tame that voice down. You deserve to understand really why you are here and what you are meant to contribute. Discovering your unique talents is a part of that process.

These talents are things that you do so well and naturally, that you may not even be fully aware of them yourself. It's just a part of who you are. And it is very likely you've been doing these things since your childhood. There are a several ways to really figure out your uniqueness and I'll cover a few ways here.

The first way is to think about your life and what have you loved to do. What comes naturally to you that you really enjoy doing? It's easy and you feel good whenever you are engaged in these activities. When have you felt that things have gone really well in your life and what were you doing at that time? What have been the best moments in your life and why? Start a list of all the activities, events, or situations where you have felt really good about what you were doing.

Next, ask people who know you well and who you trust--your parents, siblings, spouse, children, friends, co-workers, therapists, etc--a few questions: what do I do well that makes me stand out from everyone else? What comes so easy to me, that is hard for other people, that I don't even see it? What do you think makes me special and different from everyone else? Write down the answers. The good thing about this exercise is that you may find yourself pleasantly surprised to know how others perceive you. And it definitely will help you identify many of your wonderful attributes and talents.

The other exercise I recommend is work related. Take a look at each of the jobs you've had and find your "WOW" factors. These are the things you did in each position that made a difference. They are your accomplishments and how you served others in the best possible way. They can be specific goals you reached, or the support you gave. These are the points your bosses, clients, employees, and co-workers would be raving about you.

Once you have all three lists completed, you can look to see what the common threads are. What keeps coming up in each? So many people end up spending a small percentage of their time working with or using their unique talents, which causes a lot of discontentment. If you know what your unique talents are, then you can begin to structure your time and days around using them as much as possible. We see so often that people will try to fit themselves into a job description, instead of doing the internal work to figure out what unique talents you have that you love to work with, and THEN finding work that fits that.

Happiness is not a goal, it's a process. Knowing yourself, your special talents, and what you can do to make a difference in the world, is only going to have positive affects in your life. Take the time to do your inner homework and you'll find yourself on a path to a better life where you feel the amazing contribution you were meant to give to the world! You ARE special and you ARE unique! The question is, do YOU know that?

"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners." (Isaiah 61:6; New International Version)

Many of us rush through our days as well as rush through our meals. Often we let ourselves get so busy that we do not enjoy what we are doing or what we are eating. We swallow life in great gulps instead of savoring it moment by moment.

Hurry and busyness are forms of self-will. Deluded by an exaggerated sense of our own importance, we deem it crucial to perform all tasks and activities according to our personal schedule. Impatient with traffic tie-ups, other people's slowness, or unavoidable delays, we make ourselves tense and miserable by our refusal to accept life as it comes.

Time spent each day in quiet meditation can give us glimpses of God's timelessness. We see that our schedule is not that important after all, when measured against eternity. As the presence of God seeps into our consciousness, we relax into the fullness and peace of each moment. Trusting our Higher Power to order our lives, we can slow down and enjoy God's gifts.

May I exchange hurry and busyness for Your peace.

Awareness and planning will help you avoid these unnecessary charges.
By Cameron Huddleston, Kiplinger.com

It's easy to overlook fees when they're just a couple of bucks. But even the small ones quickly add up. However, most of the time you can avoid being nickel and dimed. With the help of BillShrink.com – a free cost-savings site – we created a list of ten fees you can escape.

1. Free checking fee. Some banks are starting to attach more strings to their free checking accounts. That is, you'll have to pay a monthly fee unless you meet certain criteria (see Free Checking Is Tougher to Find). However, several online banks and community banks and some major banks still offer free checking without all the requirements to qualify.

2. Balance-transfer fee. Some credit-card companies now charge up to 5% for balance transfers. So before you transfer a balance from one card to another with a low or 0% introductory rate, you should do the math to see if the amount of interest payments that you save with the introductory offer outweighs the balance-transfer fee that has to be paid immediately. See Free Checking Is Tougher to Find? You might find that you'll get a better deal by negotiating down your rate on your current card.

3. Retailer credit-card fees. The new credit-card rules make it harder for retailers to extend credit on the spot. However, that doesn't mean you'll no longer hear "Do you want to save 10% on your purchase today by opening a card account with us?" The discount is tempting, but these cards usually come with higher interest rates than traditional credit cards. If you don't pay your bill in full, that discount you got will quickly be wiped out by the high rate you'll be paying on your balance.

4. Credit-card late fees. Although the new credit-card rules prohibit card issuers from charging $25 for a first-time late payment, issuers can charge $35 if you're late a second time within six months. To avoid these fees, sign up for payment alerts from your credit-card company. You'll receive an e-mail or text message several days before your bill is due.

5. Rewards card annual fees. An increasing number of rewards cards charge an annual fee. However, there are cards with great perks and no fees. BillShrink.com recommends Capital One No Hassle Miles Rewards, Chase Sapphire Card, and Pen Fed Visa Platinum Cash back Rewards.

6. Directory assistance fees. Calling 411 can cost $1.25 or more. You can get free directory assistance by calling 1-GOOG-411 or 800-FREE-411.

7. Baggage fees. Unless you fly on Southwest or JetBlue, you'll have to pay a fee to check even one bag. If you're flying with any of the other airlines and have to check a few bags, you might find it's cheaper to send your luggage to your destination by FedEx, UPS or U.S. Postal Service Ground Shipping. See Save Money by Shipping Your Luggage.

8. Airline booking fees. Don't even think about picking up the phone to book a flight – unless you don't mind spending $15 or more for the privilege of talking to a booking agent. Book your flights online to avoid this fee.

9. Cell phone early termination fees. You can face a termination fee of up to $200 if you cancel your service before your contract is up. You can avoid these fees by signing up for prepaid service (and save money because these plans usually are cheaper).

10. Roaming fees. Make sure that you understand the way your cell-phone roaming and international charges work. According to BillShrink.com, some roaming rates are $2.49 per minute. And, some carriers will even charge you to access your voicemail (a charge of $4.99 for a missed call) even when you don't pick up that call while you are roaming. If you send a video while roaming, you could be charged up to $7.

See 10 Expenses You Don't Need for more ways to save by avoiding unnecessary costs

These questions will help you interview and evaluate several financial planners to find the one that’s right for you. You will want to select a competent, qualified professional with whom you feel comfortable, one whose business style suits your financial planning needs. An interview checklist has been included for your convenience.

1. What experience do you have?

Find out how long the planner has been in practice and the number and types of companies with which she has been associated. Ask the planner to briefly describe her work experience and how it relates to her current practice. Choose a financial planner who has a minimum of three years experience counseling individuals on their financial needs.

2. What are your qualifications?

The term "financial planner" is used by many financial professionals. Ask the planner what qualifies him to offer financial planning advice and whether he holds a financial planning designation such as the Certified Financial Planner mark. Look for a planner who has proven experience in financial planning topics such as insurance, tax planning, investments, estate planning or retirement planning. Determine what steps the planner takes to stay current with changes and developments in the financial planning field. If the planner holds a financial planning designation, check on his background with the CFP Board or other relevant professional organizations.

3. What services do you offer?

The services a financial planner offers depend on a number of factors including credentials, licenses and areas of expertise. Financial planners cannot sell insurance or securities products such as mutual funds or stocks without the proper licenses, or give investment advice unless registered with state or Federal authorities. Some planners offer financial planning advice on a range of topics but do not sell financial products. Others may provide advice only in specific areas such as estate planning or on tax matters.

4. What is your approach to financial planning?

Ask the financial planner about the type of clients and financial situations she typically likes to work with. Some planners prefer to develop one plan by bringing together all of your financial goals. Others provide advice on specific areas, as needed. Make sure the planner’s viewpoint on investing is not too cautious or overly aggressive for you. Some planners require you to have a certain net worth before offering services. Find out if the planner will carry out the financial recommendations developed for you or refer you to others who will do so.

5. Will you be the only person working with me?

The financial planner may work with you himself or have others in the office assist him. You may want to meet everyone who will be working with you. If the planner works with professionals outside his own practice (such as attorneys, insurance agents or tax specialists) to develop or carry out financial planning recommendations, get a list of their names to check on their backgrounds.

6. How will I pay for your services?

As part of your financial planning agreement, the financial planner should clearly tell you in writing how she will be paid for the services to be provided. Planners can be paid in several ways:

• a salary paid by the company for which the planner works. The planner’s employer receives payment from you or others, either in fees or commissions, in order to pay the planner’s salary.
• fees based on an hourly rate, a flat rate, or on a percentage of your assets and/or income.
• commissions paid by a third party from the products sold to you to carry out the financial planning recommendations. Commissions are usually a percentage of the amount you invest in a product.
• a combination of fees and commissions whereby fees are charged for the amount of work done to develop financial planning recommendations and commissions are received from any products sold. In addition, some planners may offset some portion of the fees you pay if they receive commissions for carrying out their recommendations.

7. How much do you typically charge?

While the amount you pay the planner will depend on your particular needs, the financial planner should be able to provide you with an estimate of possible costs based on the work to be performed. Such costs would include the planner’s hourly rates or flat fees or the percentage he would receive as commission on products you may purchase as part of the financial planning recommendations.

8. Could anyone besides me benefit from your recommendations?

Some business relationships or partnerships that a planner has could affect her professional judgment while working with you, inhibiting the planner from acting in your best interest. Ask the planner to provide you with a description of her conflicts of interest in writing. For example, financial planners who sell insurance policies, securities or mutual funds have a business relationship with the companies that provide these financial products. The planner may also have relationships or partnerships that should be disclosed to you, such as business she receives for referring you to an insurance agent, accountant or attorney for implementation of planning suggestions.

9. Have you ever been publicly disciplined for any unlawful or unethical actions in your professional career?

Several government and professional regulatory organizations, keep records on the disciplinary history of financial planners and advisers. Ask what organizations the planner is regulated by, and contact these groups to conduct a background check.

10. Can I have it in writing?

Ask the planner to provide you with a written agreement that details the services that will be provided. Keep this document in your files for future reference.

"Even though you may want to move forward in your life, you may have one foot on the brakes. In order to be free, we must learn how to let go. Release the hurt. Release the fear. Refuse to entertain your old pain.

The energy it takes to hang onto the past is holding you back from a new life. What is it you would let go of today?"