Report ranks Pa. 19th for percentage of obese adults

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Pennsylvania is in the center of the pack when it comes to obesity levels.

New state-by-state rankings were released today. They are based on U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2008 to 2010.

Pennsylvania currently ranks 19th in the percentage of obese adults, with 28.5 percent of the state’s population considered obese.

In 1995, Pennsylvania was tied with Iowa for 13th place in percentage of obese adults. However, a much smaller 16.2 percent of the state’s population was considered obese at that time.

The state ranks 27th in the speed that obesity rates are rising.

The Trust for America’s Health writes the annual report with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The public health groups looked for the first time at state-by-state statistics over the last two decades.