So you think we're fat now?

Just when you think it couldn't get worse in terms of obesity in America ... Check out the report released this month by Trust for American Health and the Robert Wood Foundation. The report title says it all: "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America's Future."

Here's what we're looking at by 2030, less than 20 years from now. If America continues at its current pace, all states will have an obesity rate of more than 44 percent by then. Mississippi and Oklahoma are projected to have obesity rates of more than 66 percent, and 39 states will be above 50 percent. At the moment, Mississippi leads the nation with an obesity rate of 34.9 percent, so the rates will just about double. Idaho's obesity rate, which is 27 percent, will jump to more than 53 percent.

In laymen's terms, obesity is defined as 30 pounds overweight according to height-weight charts. So we're talking about doubling the number of people at least 30 pounds overweight.

The bottom line is, we're killing our kids. If projections end up being true, we'll see dramatic increases in type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Health care costs will go through the roof.

The report has several policy recommendations, including:

• Fully implement the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act by implementing the new school meal standards and updating nutrition standards for snack foods and beverages in schools;
• Make physical education and physical activity a priority for education;
• Fully support healthy nutrition in federal food programs; and
• Encourage full use of prevention health care services and provide support beyond a doctor's office.

These steps would help, but realize that we cannot count on government to solve the problem. It starts with parents promoting good nutrition at home, and setting an example. A child isn't likely to pay much attention if the parents are 50 pounds overweight.