Obesity on the Rise in Pennsylvania, Study Says

Pennsylvania adults are on target to see a dramatic rise in the obesity rate by 2030, according to a recent study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. 

According to the study, 56.7 percent of residents over the age of 18 will be obese by 2030, compared with the current rate of 26.8 percent. 

If the state obesity numbers continue to climb at the current rate, the study reports, the state's annual health spending will increase by 9.1 percent

A 2011 study released by the American Heart Association found that investment in prevention techniques were beneficial to both employers and taxpayers. Some of the findings include: 

• Every $1 spent on building biking trails and walking paths could save approximately $3 in medical expenses.
• For every $1 spent in wellness programs, companies could save $3.27 in medical costs and $2.73 in absenteeism costs.
• Some interventions have been shown to help improve nutrition and activity habits in just one year and had a return of $1.17 for every $1 spent.
• Participants in community-based programs who focused on improving nutrition and increasing physical activity had a 58 percent reduction in incidence of type 2 diabetes compared with drug therapy, which had a 31 percent reduction.