Study: Illinois’ Obesity Rate to Double by 2030

A new study predicts more than half of the people in 39 states, including Illinois, will be obese within the next 20 years.

According to the report released by Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Illinois’ current 27 percent obesity rate is expected to climb to 54 percent by 2030.

Barbara Fiese is the director of the University of Illinois’ Family Resiliency Center, and she said some of the solutions to combating obesity start at home.

“Probably five things that people could do is reduce the amount of television that children are watching, get a good night sleep more than nine hours a night, reduce portion sizes, reduce portion sizes of foods, and increasing the amount of vegetables that they’re eating,” Fiese said.

Fiese said another reason for high obesity rates in Illinois – especially among young children - is because people lack access to healthy food and places for physical activity, like parks.

The report also predicts that by 2030, medical costs from treating obesity-related diseases are expected to climb by $48 billion.