Adult obesity, which has been blamed in part for increasingworkers' compensation costs, has increased in 37 states in the pastyear, according to a new study which found no areas ofdecrease.

The findings were contained in the fifth annual “F as in Fat:How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008″ report(http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008) from the Trustfor America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation(RWJF).

According to the study, rates rose for a second consecutive yearin 24 states and for a third consecutive year in 19 states. Nostate saw a decrease.

An announcement concerning the report said although manypromising policies have emerged to promote physical activity andgood nutrition in communities, they are not being adopted orimplemented at levels needed to turn around this health crisis.

Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information, who haswarned of the impact of obesity on the workers' comp system foryears, said he had just cited figures from the report in a talk tothe American Association of State Compensation Insurance Funds.

“The point here is that the workforce mirrors the population,and that means the unhealthy population is leading to anincreasingly unhealthy workforce,” which drives up medicaltreatment costs, he said.

“It's a multibillion cost driver in workers' compensation. Itdrives up the severity of claims; it drives up indemnity,increasing time away from work; it has a negative impact onproductivity and has effects beyond the workplace,” said Mr.Hartwig.

It was the consensus of an AASCIF executive panel that it is“not politically possible” for comp insurers to take a factor suchas obesity and use it in setting employers' rates, he related.

Among other points in the report:

o More than 25 percent of adults are obese in 28 states, whichis an increase from 19 states last year.

o More than 20 percent of adults are obese in every state exceptColorado.

o An estimated two-thirds of American adults are overweight orobese, and an estimated 23 million children are either overweightor obese.

o Rates of Type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated withobesity, grew in 26 states last year. Four states now have diabetesrates that are above 10 percent, and all 10 states with the highestrates of diabetes and hypertension are in the South.

The latest survey results showed Mississippi with the highestrate of obesity and Colorado with the lowest rate. Eleven of the 15states with the highest obesity rates are in the South.Northeastern and Western states continue to have the lowest obesityrates.