#7. Obesity Rate Levels Off Among U.S. Adults
As child obesity rates continue to rise in the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that obesity rates among American adults have been holding fairly steady at 34% — or some 72 million people. Although the study found no significant increase in adult obesity between 2003 and 2006, medical experts are reluctant to classify this as a victory against the obesity epidemic. "It's possible that we're just up against a ceiling," says Kelly Brownell, director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity.