Dr. Marsha Davis, associate dean for outreach and engagement, commented on a new report that found three in 10 Georgia adults are obese, a rate that ranks the state 19th in the nation.

Georgia’s 30.5 percent obesity rate in 2014 means the state has not seen much change in this category over the past couple of years, said the report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released this week.

(Davis said) that though awareness of the obesity problem has  increased, “we have a lot of challenges ahead of us, with the high rates in the South.”

Davis, noting the racial disparities in the statistics, added, “We want to see a lowering of obesity across all races and all income statuses.”

She also said there’s generally a rural/urban divide as well. “The Atlanta BeltLine is a wonderful opportunity for Atlantans to be physically active,” Davis said. “How can we create those opportunities all across the state?”

Additional coverage at Savannah Morning News, Gwinnett Daily Post.

Posted September 22, 2015.