Add It Up: Obese? You need a walkable city, my friend
We’re not as walkable — or as trim — as we could be
Percentage of Georgia adults who qualify as obese: 28
Percent of Georgia children aged 10-17 who qualify as obese: 37
Georgia’s national rank among the 50 states for adult obesity: 14
Georgia’s national rank among the 50 states for childhood obesity: 3
Number of the top 10 most obese states that are in the South: 8
Percentage of national health care costs associated with chronic disease, much of which can be traced to obesity: 70
Percentage by which a metro Atlantan is less likely to become obese if that person lives in a walkable neighborhood: 7
Extra number pounds of pounds the average person packs on when he or she lives in a pedestrian-unfriendly city: 6
Atlanta’s rank, out of 40, on a recent list of pedestrian-friendly cities: 22
Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Georgia Tech, Heartland Institute, Smart Growth America, Trust for America’s Health, WalkScore.com