Tied with Texas? We Can Do Better

If the preventive care provisions of Obamacare accomplish nothing else, I hope they address the underlying causes of this country's obesity epidemic: poverty and the power of Big Ag.

According to the CDC, Kentucky is the ninth fattest state , tied with Texas as having 30.4 percent of the adult population obese.

If that sounds not too bad, the least-obese state - Colorado - has an obese adult population at 20 percent.

We're fatter than five of our seven adjoining states: Missouri at 30.3, Tennessee (!) at 29.9, Ohio at 29.6, Viginia at 29.2 and Illinois at 27.1. Indiana is barely worse at 30.8, and West Virginia checks in at a horrible 32.4.

In my own county, I see a thousand things that contribute to obesity and very few that fight it:

•  A farmer's market that's far too small and that fails to accept electronic benefit cards (food stamps and family assistance.)
• A school system that fails to teach healthy eating but serves deep-friend poison for lunch every day.
• A "public" parks and recreation center that charges fees too expensive for most county residents.
• Thousands of roads without shoulders, much less sidewalks, much less bike lanes.
• Every fast-food joint on the planet but no place to buy healthy but inexpensive meals.
• Schools that have eliminated recess, gym and non-team sports.
• A food bank heavy on filling starches and processed food but light on fresh fruits and vegetables.

Kentucky is the ninth-most obese state because we're fine with that. It won't change until we stop being fine with it.