States that have high percentages of minority populations are more likely to also have high percentages of the adult population that are overweight as a result of multiple barriers to healthy lifestyles. States that have high percentages of minority populations are more likely to also have high rates of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease due to multiple barriers to healthy lifestyles. States that have a high percentage of the adult population with a college degree are more likely to have low rates of overweight individuals in the population due to knowledge and access to healthy lifestyles. States that have a low percentage of the adult population with a college degree are more likely to have high rates of alcohol consumption because of lack of knowledge of health risks associated with alcohol consumption. There are various, interconnecting factors that affect overweight in a population.
Obesity is related to cardiovascular disease and other diseases.
There seems to be a double standard in American Culture that bigger meal portions and fast easy food are the way to go while at the same time, you must remain slender and healthy. It seems almost impossible for members of low socioeconomic status and educational attainment to obtain the goal of living a healthy lifestyle since they don t have the monetary resources or the knowledge of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Hartman, Terryl et. Ksir, Charles and Oakley Ray. Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior .