Nutrition and Overweight Concerns in Rural Areas: A Literature Review

The goal of Healthy People 2010's nutrition and overweight focus area is to promote health and reduce chronic disease associated with diet and weight. The problem of obesity and overweight is described as a new epidemic according to the Surgeon General's recent Call to Action. In the last 20 years, the number of American children and adults who are overweight or obese has doubled. Sixty-one percent of American adults are overweight or obese, and 13 percent of children and adolescents are overweight. Traditionally, rural areas have experienced a lower incidence of overweight and obesity due to the increased physical demands characteristic of an agrarian lifestyle. However, this is no longer the case, and rural residents experience an increased prevalence of obesity and overweight compared to their urban counterparts.