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Allegheny County has not gained weight over the last decade, study says

By Brad Hundt staff Writer bhundt@observer-Reporter.Com 2 min read
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Have residents of Bethel Park been sidestepping an extra scoop of ice cream over the last decade?

Have the denizens of Upper St. Clair been saying no to an extra slice of pie?

Maybe so, according to a new study.

The strength training resource and news outlet BarBend.com is reporting that the obesity level within Allegheny County as a whole has remained flat since 2012. It’s the only county in Pennsylvania where the numbers are basically unchanged. Cambria and Columbia counties are 1% less obese, according to the study. The other two counties that fared best over the last decade, Lancaster and Philadelphia counties, are now just 1% more obese than they were in 2012.

The United States has been packing on the pounds since the 1980s, with most experts pointing the finger at food that is abundantly available and less expensive compared to even the recent past, declining rates of smoking and more sedentary lifestyles. Rather than laboring in a field or standing on an assembly line for hours at a time, many of us now spend our days sitting at desks and looking at screens. America can take some comfort in the fact that it is not alone – obesity rates have also been rising in wealthy, developed nations like Canada, Britain and Germany.

Allegheny County’s obesity rate is 29%, compared with 33% for the commonwealth as a whole. The number of county residents who are inactive is 24%, one percentage point less than the average for Pennsylvania. In other markers of health, the adult smoking rate is at 18%, even with the statewide average. However, a higher rate of Allegheny County adults – 23% – report drinking excessively, compared to 20% for the state.

Still, weight by itself is not the only important factor when it comes to measuring health, according to Patti Iampietro, a registered dietician based in Upper St. Clair. She explained that weight is not the only thing that counts when evaluating someone’s health. Overall lifestyle factors, such as taking advantage of exercise opportunities, also need to be part of the equation.

“Do we really need to be pushing people to lose weight?” Iampietro said. “There’s a fine line between weight and health.”

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