BELLINGHAM — A recent study found that people in 33 out of the 39 Washington counties have become more overweight over the last 10 years, according to BarBend, an online strength training resource and fitness news outlet.
BarBend studied obesity levels throughout Washington and data from County Health Ratings to see changes in obesity from 2012 to 2022.
County Health Ratings defines obesity levels as the percentage of those over 18 years old with a body mass index of 30 or higher.
As most Washington counties saw an increase in obesity levels, counties such as Benton, Cowlitz and King saw no change compared to 2012. Garfield and Lewis counties even saw decreases up to 4 percent in obesity levels.
Local Angle
Clark County finished 25th among Washington’s 39 counties in the BarBend.com survey. It found 33 percent of the county’s population was obese in 2022, compared with 29 percent in 2012. That’s five percentage points above the state average.
Most Washington counties saw an increase in obesity levels.
The obesity level in Clark County increased 4 percent from 2012 to 2022, according to the report. In 2012, 29 percent of the county’s residents were considered obese; by 2022 that figure was 33 percent.
Whatcom County had the highest increase in obesity levels, increasing 9 percent and having 33 percent of adult residents with a body mass index of 30 or more. Douglas County also had an increase of 9 percent, with an obesity level of 37 percent.
Pierce County had a 1 percent increase, with 32 percent of its residents being overweight. Thurston County had a 4 percent increase and 33 percent of its current population being obese.
Grant County has the highest obesity level in 2022 at 39 percent, a 6 percent increase since its 2012 data.
