ALMOST half of all Americans are considered "obese"... and 1 in 10 are "severely overweight."

According to new data from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40 percent of US adults are considered obese.

4 The 2017-18 health survey found the US obesity rate to be 42 percent and the severe obesity rate to be more than 9 percent Credit: Alamy

4 Dr. Dietz said: 'Severe obesity really requires very intensive therapy' Credit: Alamy

The 2017-18 health survey, released Thursday, found the US obesity rate to be 42 percent and the severe obesity rate to be more than 9 percent.

Despite a 2 percent increase in the obesity rate from a 2015-16 study, and an 1 percent rise from the previous severe obesity rate study - the changes are not deemed to be statistically significant.

But the percentage changes are so minimal that its mathematically probable that the rates didn't truly rise.

Its evident the adult obesity rates are increasing as just fifty years ago, about 1 in 100 people in the US were severely obese.

Now, severe obesity is 10 times more common.

A CDC epidemiologist and a co-author in the study, Cynthia Ogden, told UPI. "The findings are important for everyone.

"We've seen increases in obesity going back to the 1980s, so it continues to be a public health concern.

"We know that obesity and severe obesity, in particular, are associated with many chronic conditions including diabetes and heart disease."

4 Severely obese people require more care from doctors, Dr. Dietz said Credit: Alamy

4 Obesity is considered one of the nation's leading public health problems Credit: Alamy

George Washington University obesity expert, Dr. William Dietz, said the findings suggest more Americans will get diabetes, heart, disease, and cancer - as the obesity rate has risen to approximately 40 percent in the past 20 years.

Severely obese people require more care from doctors, Dr. Dietz told the Associated Press.

Dr. Dietz added: “How’s a provider going to do that? Severe obesity really requires very intensive therapy."

He blamed the government for not enforcing more measures to encourage physical activity.

According to the findings, there were no major differences between men or women or by age.

Adults aged 40-50 were most affected by severe obesity, according to the study.

Black adults saw the highest number of obesity rates, when compared to other races.

Obesity is considered one of the nation's leading public health problems.

It is measured by the body mass index, or BMI, a figure calculated from a person’s weight and height.

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A BMI of 25 or greater is considered overweight, a BMI of 30 and above is obese, and a BMI of 40 or above is severely obese.

Some health risks of overweight and obesity, according to he National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, include Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, sleep apnea, metabolic syndrome, fatty liver diseases, osteoarthritis, gallbladder diseases, kidney disease, pregnancy problems, and some cancers.

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